Forget Me Not
by vivaciousWordsmith
Summary: She wanders the world in search of the memories that were lost, but where can she look if she doesn't remember what's precious to her? Also, can this lost lamb trust the people who lurk in the shadows of her forgotten past?
1. Awakening

**Update: **Forget Me Not **was awarded 3rd Place Best Drama by the Feudal Association! A huge heartfelt thanks to everyone who voted! I love you all. **

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><p>The low throbbing sensation in her skull pulsed dully as she woke. Her vision was blurred at first, adding to the confusion that pounded along with the throbbing in her head. The young girl blinked, trying to make some sense out of the chaotic swirl of colors that her eyesight was showing her. For a few heart-pounding seconds, nothing happened, making her wonder if indeed her sight had been permanently damaged.<p>

To her immense relief, the picture eventually steadied and became normal. However, her relief was short-lived. The surroundings that had materialized were no more familiar to her than they had been before her vision came into focus. All she could see was that she was in a fairly small room with wooden bars on one end and a tiny window set in the opposite wall. The girl would have stood up to see what she could see out of the tiny window, but just sitting up made the pounding in her head ten times worse than before.

For a few seconds, she wondered how she had gotten to this dark and dreary place. Brow furrowing, the girl scanned her memories, searching for the reason behind her imprisonment.

That was when she realized that she couldn't remember _anything. _Not only could she not recall how she had been captured, she couldn't remember who she was, if she had any friends, where she had come from, her life story-_nothing. _It was all a big black blank.

"Who...am I?" she whispered, her hands gently touching her cheeks as her eyes widened at the realization of her complete loss of memory. "_Who am I?_"

The moment the softly uttered words left her lips, the darkness beyond her cell seemed to congeal and solidify. At the same time, a tingle of awareness shot down her spine, causing her to shiver. Whatever had caused the darkness to conglomerate like that wasn't anything nice; in fact, she would say that it was completely evil.

There was a white flash as whoever or whatever was standing in the shadows grinned at her. "So, you're awake, are you?"

The girl shivered at the menacing sound of the whatever-it-was's voice. It was much like hearing the rasp of silk over a steel blade, or the hiss of acid as it dissolved a rock. But it was the edge that the voice contained that made her shiver more violently; it was like frigid steel, giving the rasping voice a menacing tone. It was the voice of a murderer who did anything and everything to get his own way.

_'Don't think that,' _she chided herself, though the shivers continued to chase each other up and down her spine. _'M-maybe this forgetfulness and...and whatever happened to me is causing me to think things that aren't true.' _No matter what she told herself, she could not stop the feeling of fear that descended upon her when the mysterious figure stepped out of the shadows and into the half-light of the tiny window.

His body had a humanoid shape, but his appearance was anything but. The strange person's skin was so pale that it looked almost white in the pale light. His black hair was very thick, reminding the girl of twisted, strangling vines. His armor was very strange; it consisted of bony plates over a blue kimono, and something that looked disturbingly like an _eye _resting in the middle of his chest. The eyes in his face were a bright, bloody red. Although they were fierce and fiery in color, the stranger's eyes emanated such a cold, emotionless glow that the girl wondered why she wasn't frozen instantly. Those cold red eyes were the eyes of a murderous psychopath.

"Hmm..." The stranger studied her with a politely interested gaze that masked the truly perverted intensity of his evil red eyes...not to mention the obvious satisfaction of his smug smirk. "It's been quite some time since I've seen you...how are you feeling?"

The girl blinked, confused by the stranger's 'concern.' "I...I don't know who you are, and I don't know who I am, and I don't know where this is," she started, not bothering to conceal the fear in her voice. "Please, can you just let me out of this prison? I...I'm not dangerous or insane-nothing that would pose a threat to you. Just let me go, _please._"

One of the stranger's eyebrows quirked up as he regarded her with an amused look. "You don't remember me?"

She shook her head. "Honestly, I don't."

The stranger's eyes took on a calculating look as he turned away, his head facing something in the shadows, something the frightened girl couldn't see. "Kanna," he called, his voice a satisfied purr. "Come here."

Something moved in the shadows as whatever the stranger had addressed moved toward him. The girl shrank back against the wooden wall of her cell, cringing away from whatever it was.

A tiny girl dressed all in white stepped out of the shadows. Her whiter than white hair was done up with two impossibly white flowers, and her petite hands loosely clutched a shiny mirror. Her eyes were a dark, dull black; blank and emotionless. While the stranger's eyes did reveal his evil intent and his dark satisfaction, this girl's eyes revealed nothing. "Kanna, why don't you show this woman her reflection?" the stranger asked, his voice amused again. The little girl-Kanna, the young woman supposed-turned toward her, the mirror glinting in the light from the small window.

"Look," she whispered. "Look into the mirror." Like her eyes, Kanna's voice was empty, devoid of everything that would make it a human voice.

The prisoner shivered, but obeyed. The mirror creeped her out; she got the feeling that if she looked into the mirror for too long, the mirror would capture her forever. She chided herself for the foolish feeling. _'It's just a mirror,' _she told herself. The reflection in the mirror intrigued her, causing her to crawl forwards to see it more clearly.

The girl in the mirror had long, very silky black hair, not like the tangled dreadlocks that the stranger possessed at all. Her eyes were a very pretty chocolate brown color, set in a face that looked sweet and innocent. Her neck was bare of any ornament, but her shoulders were clad in an odd-looking green material. For the first time since she had woken up, she looked down at the clothes she was wearing. They didn't look like the stranger's clothes, or Kanna's clothes. The green and possibly white shirt had once been form-fitting, though it was now hopelessly ragged, and the green skirt was too short for words to describe. Her feet were bare, though something told her that she should have been wearing something to keep them protected.

"I...I look very nice," she mumbled, "but I still don't know who I am." The captive tore her gaze away from the mirror in favor of looking up at the stranger who looked like he was just seconds away from bursting out into laughter. "Tell me, why have you locked me up? I told you, I'm not very harmful-I don't think I'm even that useful!"

"It was for your own good," the stranger murmured, his eyes sparkling with something she could not identify. "I put you in here to keep you safe from those who would otherwise hurt you."

"There...there are people trying to hurt me?" she asked, afraid all over again. Who would want to do that?

"They are evil, wicked youkai," the stranger said, his eyes positively glowing now. "I managed to stave them off long enough to get you to safety, though...at the cost of your memories, I fear."

The girl's brow furrowed as she tried to remember, but nothing came up. "...Who...were these people?" she asked, hesitantly.

The stranger smirked again. "Kanna, why don't you show her?" Kanna gave no sign that she had received the order, but the mirror in her arms suddenly glowed like a white-hot piece of metal. The girl gave a cry and leaped back, only to draw forward again once the glow had stopped.

The picture in the mirror was no longer that of the cell, but rather a slide-show of image after image after image. The girl's mind spun with the rapidity of the scenes, but she managed to catch a glimpse of a woman dressed in black, a tempest of swirling air, another woman dressed like a miko, and a feral looking man with sharp fangs and red eyes. Inwardly, she shuddered. "All of those people desire your destruction," the stranger told her as the mirror reverted back to the reflection of the room. The tone of his voice suggested that he was talking about something mundane, like the weather. "You hold a power that they fear, and the only way they think they can stop you is by destroying you forever."

She blinked up at him, more confused than ever. _'Do I...am I really...strong? But...I __**can't **__be! At least, not enough to warrant getting killed...and why is this guy helping me? I guess...I guess he isn't as evil as his looks suggest...'_

"Even if there are people out looking for me, I don't think you should keep me here," she murmured. "They...they could come back, or something. I should go into hiding somewhere else...somewhere where they could never find me."

The stranger regarded her with a cool stare. "There is no way that they could find you here, but if it makes you more comfortable..." Here the stranger's mouth quirked into a cold smile. "...I will let you go out on your own. But know this; if you do leave my castle, you will be completely and totally on your own. Here, I will help you regain your strength. Out there..." The stranger let his sentence trail off into space as his red eyes glinted with amusement.

The girl shivered again, but she felt her flimsy resolve strengthen somewhat. _'Appreciate the offer, but I don't think I want you watching over me,' _she thought. "I'm sorry," she said politely, "but I don't want to be trapped in this castle. I want to be able to see the sky and walk wherever I want to go...sorry," she apologized again, "but I don't think I can stay here for another minute."

The stranger stared at her for a few silent minutes, his red gaze dissecting her thoroughly. She cringed away, flinching at the intensity of his staring eyes. The white girl at his side didn't show any interest in the tendril-haired man or herself. She just stood there, her eyes completely blank as she stared at nothing and everything. The strange man's face finally broke into a cold smile as he sighed. "Very well; I guess I will guide you to the entrance of the castle. But that will be all; once you pass past the outskirts of my lands, you will be on your own."

Without waiting for her reply, the stranger strode forth and opened the door to her cell. Then he lowered one of his pale hands to her, offering to help her off the ground. She considered for a few moments, then, timidly, she put her small hand into his. She shivered at his touch; his hand was cold, almost like a dead fish, except it wasn't wet. If he was a living thing, then why was he so cold? It puzzled her, but she supposed she had other things to worry about.

As soon as she was off the ground, she let go of his hand. He didn't say anything about her abrupt release; he just turned around and started to walk away. "Wait!" she cried, stumbling forth as she followed her mysterious 'host.' His stride did not change, so she tried to hurry as best she could, though her legs felt like lead weights.

The castle was mostly dark; though there was an occasional torch to light the hall, its light was usually too weak to light much of the place. She found herself stumbling more frantically, eager to escape the castle and see the light again. Finally, the stranger threw open a pair of shoji doors a long time later. Estatic at the sight of the light emanating from beyond the doors, the girl leaped forward, her dirty face breaking out into a smile.

The smile slipped when she saw the world outside. For a few seconds, she wondered if she had walked out in the midst of a wasteland. The sky was an ugly purple color, almost like a strange sort of poison that allowed no light to permeate the castle's barren grounds. The lands of the castle's grounds were scarred, as if a giant creature had lifted its paw and scored the land with its claws. "They were very close," the stranger commented in an offhand sort of way. "They almost got you."

She didn't reply. Her eyes swept over the widespread destruction of the battle she had forgotten. _'How terrible...and these people want to hurt me?'_

"Just start walking," the stranger instructed her. "You'll find your way out."

She stumbled forward, her feet protesting at the harsh feel of the land beneath them. Then, a thought came to her, making her turn backward. "Um...what's your name?"

The stranger smirked at her again, his eyes glowing with that strange light once more. "You may call me Naraku."

"Na-ra-ku," she said slowly. _'What a weird name...' _"Is there any chance you know _my _name?"

Naraku gave her a look that was obviously supposed to be filled with regret, but was rather offset by the glint in his eye. "I'm sorry; I only know the people who were chasing you."

She shrugged, then turned around and began to hobble toward the gates of the castle and the wide, strange world that lay beyond them.

As soon as she was out of hearing range, Naraku chuckled.

"This is much better than I could have guessed," he said to himself. Then his eyes landed upon the teetering form of the girl walking slowly away from his castle.

"Let's see how long you survive in this state, Kagome," he chuckled. "How long can you live when you've been reduced to a confused little pup who doesn't even remember where her loyalties lie?"


	2. Wandering

The world seemed so incomprehensibly large to the tired, hungry and confused girl who stumbled through the thick foliage, the unending rivers and the spiky rocks. Her feet were bleeding badly, but she knew better than to stop. To stop would be to invite death to her weary body, to give the youkai roaming the world a chance at a tasty snack.

So, she continued on.

The trees and fields of the vast lands before and after her all blurred into the same image. Lovely though they were, they became dreary to a soul who was tired of wandering through the world with not a shred of an idea of who she was or where she could possibly go.

The exhausted woman did find several villages in the midst of her endless path. The people who inhabited those villages were kind enough, but they whispered about her, taking in her ragged clothes and her bedraggled hair, her dirt-streaked face and her bloody feet.

"Ghost woman," they whispered as she passed. Quite a few of them would throw rocks at her while shouting, "Youkai! Go back to the wilderness from which you came!"

So while they would usually give her some food, that was all the hospitality she could expect from them before she had to go on her long and lonely way again.

With every step she took, the same three words blazed in her head, burning into her brain as they whirled about in an endless mantra.

_'Who am I?'_

* * *

><p>Nearly three hundred miles away from where she was trekking through the fields of Nippon, a large cream-and-black nekomata was descending from the sky, fire blazing about her body as she circled lower and lower.<p>

Kirara landed lightly upon the ground, letting Sango jump off of her back as she transformed into her tiny self.

The two men, who had been sitting around the fire prior to the giant fire-cat's landing, now stood and walked over to Sango.

"Well?" InuYasha demanded, his whole body quivering with violent energy. "Any sign of her?"

Sango shook her head as she let Miroku take the Hiraikotsu away from her so she could sit down on a nearby log. "I searched for hours, InuYasha-I really did!" she snapped defensively when InuYasha snorted. "I didn't see any sign of Kagome-chan, though. Nothing."

InuYasha growled and dropped his face into the palm of his hand, his index finger and thumb pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Dammit," he growled, "She's been missing for two fuckin' weeks! Where the _Hell _could she be?"

No-one had an answer for the inu-hanyou's inquiry.

It had all happened so suddenly; the group had been traveling like they always did when Kagome had gone rigid, almost as if with fright. Before they could ask what was wrong with her, she had announced the presence of shikon-no-kakera.

She'd also said that judging by the size of it, it was probably Naraku.

InuYasha had demanded her to lead the group in the bastard's general direction, and away they had gone.

It had seemed so ridiculously easy then: Naraku had chosen to hide himself in a castle, like he used to do back before his big transformation in Mt. Hakurei. He'd stood in the castle courtyard, arms crossed, one brow raised in a challenging sort of way. InuYasha had drawn his Tetsusaiga with promises of death and destruction and the battle had begun.

The first thing that struck them as wrong was that it had ended far too quickly and far too easily. Naraku and his castle had simply vanished like smoke in the wind after only fifteen minutes of battle, leaving nothing behind but an empty, desolate field.

At first, the group was a little annoyed at their abrupt dismissal, and for a while they had thought that Naraku had just wanted to test some new power of his. The theory had prevailed until Shippou had started looking around for his mother-figure and came up with nothing save the two other humans, the inu-hanyou and the nekomata. He had wailed and cried about Kagome being gone, causing the others to try and comfort him while they looked about for Kagome.

However, she was not to be found. There was not even a shred of scent left of her, almost as if a Kami had stretched its hand down from the heavens and plucked Kagome off the earth like a ripe fruit was plucked from a tree.

The discovery that Kagome had vanished nearly drove InuYasha into a red-eyed rampage as he frantically searched the surrounding area for his miko, growing more frustrated and upset when there was no trace of her to be found. Finally, when midnight had arrived, Miroku and Sango knew that they had to call it quits and dragged InuYasha away from the site. It had been hard work, seeing as the hanyou had spat and struggled ferociously, calling them all sorts of names and threatening to disembowel the both of them if they didn't let him go.

For two very long weeks it had been that way; Miroku and Sango would search from the air, and InuYasha would sprint through the lands, searching for any sign of the missing miko. Every day had turned up nothing but grass, trees, and blue sky, and every day InuYasha had to be forced to rest, forced to stay in one place for the night instead of continuing the search like he obviously wanted to do.

Indeed, if left to his own devices, InuYasha would have continued the search for Kagome. She was lost somewhere, either in Naraku's hands or wandering alone through Nippon. Neither idea was more appealing to InuYasha, who would much prefer it if Kagome was safe with him.

_'Dammit to Hell,' _he swore, looking up at the blue sky that seemed so cheerless to him, even though the day was actually quite beautiful.

_'Where the fuck could she be?'_

* * *

><p>She was so tired.<p>

The wandering girl was sure that she had lost a couple of pounds as she trekked endlessly through Nippon, her feet beyond shredded by the hard task of walking through all sorts of obstacles.

Her eyes were unseeing as she concentrated on putting one foot in front of another, concentrated on the motion that would keep her going, keep her away from the people who wanted to hurt her...

Time became a blur to the wanderer. Night and day were the same to her as she continued to move through Nippon, ignoring the protests of her rapidly weakening body as she kept on walking.

She had to keep moving.

But she was so tired...if only she could rest for a while...

But the stranger who called himself Naraku had told her to keep on moving, right?

But she was so tired...

_'No...I can't do it,' _she thought, even as her knees turned to jelly beneath her, sending her to the ground. _'I'm so tired...so, so tired...'_

The gaunt-looking girl curled up into a ball, her arms covering her face as if the skinny appendages could offer some form of protection.

In that moment, she was prepared to let everything go as she slipped into death's embrace.

But what would she let go?

She had absolutely nothing to her; no name, no family, no friends, no home, most certainly no possessions.

No-one would miss her. No-one even knew her.

In that moment, she wondered if anyone would even bother to give her a proper burial.


	3. A New Beginning

"Are you serious? You just _found _her?"

"Hai, I told you! Ichi-dono had just told me to put out the scraps for the dogs to eat, and when I did, she was lying there, all curled up!"

"The poor dear; can you see how skinny she is? She's probably gone without a decent meal for a few days, to say the least."

The murmur of feminine voices trickled like water through her head, causing her to stir restlessly as she swam up through the thick, choking darkness.

"Oh-she's waking up! Quick, get some water!"

There was the sound of bustling somewhere in the distance, and then a small cup was held to her lips. She drank greedily from the proffered cup, the water soothing her raw throat. It turned out to be too much too soon, though, meaning that she coughed and retched, her throat overwhelmed by the clean water.

"Slow down, you'll make yourself sick!" A voice exclaimed from somewhere nearby, then a hand was thumping her between the shoulder-blades in an effort to help her clear the water out of her esophagus.

The image of a gilded room swam into focus as she narrowed her eyes, trying hard to not fall unconscious again. The shoji doors were very elegant, with pictures of cranes and vines painted on them with what looked like black and gold ink. The wooden walls of the room were an attractive shade of red lined with gold leaf, and the floor felt very smooth beneath her body.

"Where...where am I?" she asked, confused. Was this Nirvana?

"You're in Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions," someone said, making her blink and look around.

For the first time since she had woken up, the girl noticed that she was surrounded by some six or seven women, all ranging from her age (she thought) to somewhere in their mid to late twenties. They were all exceedingly beautiful, with long hair of varying shades of black and brown, deep black eyes and pale, heart-shaped faces. They were dressed in elegant kimonos, their hair done up in the same bun at the back of their head.

"W-where am I?" she asked again, her voice dripping with confusion now.

"This is Kyoto, dear," one of the older ladies said to her. "You know, the capitol city?"

"Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions is one of the most popular inns in the city," one of the other girls said helpfully. "We offer all sorts of services here. Food, rooms, alcohol..."

"Prostitutes," another girl mumbled.

"Hai, dear, but we try not to mention that," the first woman said, blushing slightly underneath her pale makeup.

The girl considered all of this as she slowly tried to sit up. "Okay...um, is there any chance that you would know...who I am?" she asked hesitantly.

The women all looked at each other, then the more maternally inclined woman turned back to her, her face sorrowful.

"You poor dear," she sighed, "You've lost your memory, then?"

"Yeah, I don't remember _anything,_" the girl replied.

"Nothing at all?"

"Nothing."

The woman tutted slightly, then turned back to her companions and began whispering.

She settled back against the soft mat on which she had been placed, content to just listen for now while she recovered.

Maybe Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions wasn't exactly heaven on earth, but to the tired and lonely girl, it felt like Nirvana.

* * *

><p>A few days after her arrival at the inn, she was taken to see the inn's proprietor, owner and all-around boss-man, Ichigawa, or 'Ichi-dono,' as the women referred to him.<p>

"Ichi-dono doesn't want you staying here free of charge," the maternal woman had told her. "You'll either need to start working here or start paying for a room."

Since the vagabond had no money to her name, she knew she would either have to start working at Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions or go back to a life of wandering.

Even if the long road she had taken hadn't almost resulted in her death, she wouldn't have wanted to leave the inn. Even though the women at the inn acted like shameless flirts with their male customers and drunk copious amounts of saké while on the job, their whore-like attitudes were as much a part of their attire as their makeup and their kimonos. Once the day was finished, most of them reverted to what they truly were; sweet, caring and quiet women.

Since this was the only place where she felt like she was accepted, the lonely girl decided that she would make her home here, at least for the time being. Something here could trigger her memories, after all...

"This is Ichi-dono's room," the woman's soft voice murmured, interrupting her thoughts. She gently pushed her forward, whispering, "Now, remember to be polite and respectful, okay?" The shoji door was rapidly opened and shut again with a small _clack, _the girl passed through as if she were a package being delivered.

Unlike the rest of the inn, the room she had just entered was free of opulence; the wood was unpainted, the floor looked splintery, and the futon was exceedingly threadbare and patchy.

Standing in front of a small balcony was the man she assumed to be Ichigawa.

He was tall and thin, his thinning and graying black hair tied up in a traditional topknot. His simple clothes had probably once been white, though now they were stained and ragged with age. His feet were bare and calloused, his hands much the same. There was a white headband bound around Ichigawa's forehead with "廉潔" stenciled on it. His face bore the wrinkles acquired with age, though both his eyes and body seemed to bear no trace of his years.

"So, you're the new girl, then?" Ichigawa rapped out, striding over to the girl with quick and purposeful movements. He stopped just six inches away from her, gazing down at her with an assessing eye. "Well, speak up!" he demanded when she remained silent.

"Um...hai, I am, Ichi-dono," she quickly replied.

"Hmm..." Ichigawa circled once around her, his hand moving carefully over her tattered clothes, her pale skin and her black hair. When he had gotten back to her front, he grabbed her chin and looked into her eyes.

"A little bit on the skinny side and your clothes look like you got them out of a battlefield," he said slowly, "but that can all be fixed. Well, girl, what's your name?"

"Gomennasai, Ichi-dono, but I don't remember," she said apologetically.

"Don't remember?" Ichigawa exclaimed, something akin to outrage flashing in his eyes as he stiffened. "That won't do at all!"

Ichigawa strode away until he was directly in front of his bedding again. Then, he turned in a perfect circle and gestured to the characters on his forehead.

"Do you know what this says?" he asked her gruffly.

"'Integrity,' Ichi-dono," she read obediently.

"Very good." Ichigawa straightened even more, if that was possible, linked his hands behind his back and began to talk in a loud, authoritative voice.

"This inn has been in my family for nine generations, and our motto has always been 'If nothing else, we shall keep our integrity.' That is what I intend to do. And there won't be a shred of integrity left if a ragamuffin like yourself is running around in shredded clothes with no name to her honor!" Ichigawa came forward again and looked her straight in the eye as he barked, "First order of business: I shall give you a new name, and you shall use it, is that clear?"

"Hai, Ichi-dono," she recanted faithfully.

"Now, your new name shall be Shōjin. You got that, Shōjin?"

_'He wants my name to be nobody?' _

She considered the name for a few seconds.

She knew most people would consider it rude, but she didn't know anything at all, not to mention she had absolutely nothing to her name besides her torn clothes.

_'I guess...I'll just be Sh__ōjin__, then,_' she decided.

"Hai, Ichi-dono," Shōjin replied.

Ichigawa nodded; and Shōjin supposed this was his way of expressing pleasure. "Good. Now, second order of business: before you go to work, you'll have to visit Saki, my resident cloth-spinner, for some new clothes. When you've got new clothes, you must put the old ones in the fire-place. Is that understood, Shōjin?"

"Hai, Ichi-dono," Shōjin repeated.

"Good," Ichigawa repeated. "Then you are dismissed."

"Hai, Ichi-dono." The girl who was now known as Shōjin turned around and left Ichigawa's room.

She still didn't know who she was, but she figured that if she couldn't find out, she should at least start a new life somewhere while she still had the chance.

_'Maybe someday,' _she thought as she walked toward the place where she suspected Saki would be, _'I'll find out who I am.'_

* * *

><p>廉潔-integrity<p> 


	4. Discovery

_Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she stirred languidly, stretching her sore joints as her mind woke from the peaceful blankness of sleep._

_But something was different. Horribly different, drastically different._

_She sat upright as the reality of her surroundings sank into her._

_This wasn't the inn she had been sleeping in._

_The sky overhead was the ugly mottled color of an infected wound, the ground cracked and dry, as though it had lived through one thousand droughts. Mauled corpses lay scattered like fallen leaves, stretching from one side of the landscape to the other, their faces fixed in grotesque expressions as flies buzzed busily about their terrible wounds. _

_With a shudder of terror and disgust, she turned towards the only light she could see; the light of the sun as it set in the West amongst a cascade of bloody clouds and red light._

_The light was broken by a crouching figure, his outline blurred by the scarlet light. As if sensing her eyes upon his body, he turned to face her._

_Without meaning to, she let out a high scream of terror, scrambling backwards as she flung a hand over her throat._

_It was __**him**__, the man she had seen in Kanna's mirror! His long silver hair, like his clawed hands, was stained a terrible red by the hideous amount of blood that covered his body. His eyes were as scarlet as the stains on his face, the blue irises focusing on her with the evil intent of a killer. The purple scars on his cheeks seemed to twist slightly as the youkai's face broke out into an evil grin, revealing his long fangs._

_**"Well, well, well, I didn't think there were any left," **__he purred, loping closer with the ease and grace of a lion on the hunt._

_"No! I'm absolutely normal! A youkai like you doesn't want someone like me!" she cried, crawling backwards and shuddering as the youkai strode forwards, covering more ground in one step than she could in three. _

_He stopped to consider what she had said, his eyes glinting in the decaying light. __**"You don't know your own strength, do you?"**_

_"I HAVE no strength!" she shouted back, her arms trembling with fear and the effort of pushing herself backwards._

_**"Not at the moment. But it's your other self; the one you forgot, the one who lies buried beneath all this triviality in your mind," **__the murderous youkai sneered, grinning down at her and exposing his long fangs again. __**"THAT is the person who holds the power."**_

_'He means the person I was before...before whatever happened to me,' she thought. 'But I'm not that person!' _

_"But-" she said, but he cut her off with a growl as he crouched down._

_**"No more games. Time to DIE!" **_

_The youkai leaped toward her, stained claws outstretched, his grin seemingly stretching into infinity. She could only watch as Death lifted his claws high into the air to deal the killing blow._

_Just before his claws tore into her skin, another voice lifted in a wailing lament, the sound as distant as the setting sun._

_"Kagome!"_

With a start, the girl who had been named Shōjin by her new master woke up, sitting bolt upright as her breathing and pulse shot through the roof.

_'It was just a dream,' _she told herself, her heart pounding in her throat as the world around her slowly came into focus. _'Just. A. Dream.'_

But it had been so _vivid. _The piles of dead people, the setting sun, the bloody youkai's glistening fangs...

The claws that rended her flesh...

Knowing that she would be unable to catch another wink of sleep, Shōjin pushed the thin cover aside and rose to her feet. Walking carefully, so as not to disturb the other sleeping women, she walked over to the large water-jug that rested in the corner of the room. The water was a little warm for her tastes, but she gulped it down all the same.

_'Who is that youkai?' _she wondered, hanging the ladle back on the edge of the jug as she turned back to her bedding. _'And why does he want to hurt me so badly?'_

The answer came to her even as she crawled back into her bedding, her eyes fixed on one of the beams that networked beneath the ceiling.

The youkai had said that there was another self lying hidden beneath her 'triviality,' one that was powerful.

Shōjin snorted softly as she rolled over.

_'That's not me,' _she thought. _'I don't have power. At least, not that any youkai would be interested in.'_

But what if she did? After all, that Naraku character who had rescued her had said that she held power, didn't he? He'd said that she was feared by youkai who'd prefer it if she were dead, didn't he? Wasn't that why he had rescued her in the first place?

_'I don't know, but I'll bet they won't find me here! This place may be all magnificent, but there's no way in Hell that youkai would want to come to a city like this.' _

Shōjin rolled onto her side and closed her eyes, content to doze, even if images of her recent nightmare would keep her from falling into a deep sleep.

The last coherent thought that whirled through her head was one that seemed unimportant, and yet burned with some sort of meaning.

_'Who on Earth is Kagome?'_

* * *

><p>The sun was just starting to rise up in the East when InuYasha got up. He'd given up any pretense of sleeping two hours ago, though he knew that his human and youkai compatriots would prefer it if he left them alone for a while.<p>

Now, however, his impatience had driven him to get up and wake up his friends, regardless of whether or not they wanted to be woken up.

InuYasha didn't care if he hadn't gotten enough sleep; who needed sleep when Kagome was out in Nippon somewhere, lost and alone?

_'One month,' _InuYasha groused as he moved over to where Miroku was sitting so he could wake the houshi up. It had been one fucking month and they had found nothing. Whatever Naraku had done to her, he had obviously hidden her well, or sent her far away from wherever they'd been at when he'd taken her.

Of course, there was always the possibility that she was dead.

The idea of it, the _very idea _of Kagome's death was so repugnant that InuYasha immediately dismissed it from his mind, his lips pulled back into a feral snarl as his claws nearly drew blood when his hands curled into tight fists.

_'Kagome's fine,' _he told himself. _'An' I will __**find **__her. I don't care if all the fuckin' youkai from Hell get in my way-I. Will. FIND HER.'_

With that last thought resounding resolutely through his head, InuYasha lifted one clawed hand and slapped the back of the sleeping houshi's head. As expected, Miroku started awake and looked around blearily for the source of the slap. His dozy amethyst eyes finally found the irritated hanyou standing some distance behind him.

"InuYasha? Would you mind telling me what this is all about?" Miroku asked, his voice a little too sweet.

"You've slept long enough, houshi," InuYasha said bluntly. "S'time to get movin'."

Miroku pondered this as he squinted over InuYasha's shoulder. His eyes narrowed further when he caught a glimpse of the sun, which hadn't even shown its face yet. In fact, the only evidence of its impending arrival was the steadily lightening sky and the pink clouds lining the east.

"The sun isn't even up yet, InuYasha," Miroku noted, his voice sounding rather annoyed.

InuYasha scowled at him. "I don't care. We've gotta find Kagome, an' to do that, we've gotta make use out of every minute of daylight."

The men's conversation, which hadn't exactly been quiet in the first place and was steadily gaining volume, soon woke Kirara, Sango and Shippou as it became more and more heated.

"Whuzgoinon?" Shippou asked, his tiny hands scrubbing at his emerald eyes.

"I don't know," Sango mumbled, blinking sleepily at InuYasha.

InuYasha only spared them a glance as he said, "Good; you're awake. We're heading out soon."

The hanyou's soft words were like a jolt of caffeine to the tired youkai taijiya. Her senses rocketed to full alertness as she surged to her feet, her brown eyes enraged.

"What? You're sending us out early?" she cried.

"Of course!" InuYasha snapped back, ears flattening against his head as he flashed his fangs at Sango. "We've gotta start lookin' for Kagome, an' we need all the time we can get!"

"That's no excuse to wake us up before the sun's even up!" Sango barked, her hand gesturing wildly to the rapidly pinking sky. "We've barely gotten three hours of sleep a day for the past _month_, an-"

"DO YOU NOT CARE ABOUT FINDING KAGOME?" InuYasha bellowed, his voice so loud that most of the birds within a fifteen foot radius of the camp flew away, shrieking their indignation to the morning sky.

"I do, baka!" Sango shouted back. "We all care about her, but that doesn't mean that we won't wear out the same as we always do! I know you're worried about Kagome-chan; so are we! But that is no excuse to drive us into the ground the way you've been doing for the past month! We are not kami or youkai, InuYasha, and we _will _eventually run out of energy if you keep working us like this," she finished sternly.

InuYasha wilted a little underneath Sango's fierce glare, but he still stood resolutely before her, arms crossed as he snarled, "If you're too fuckin' weak to continue, then I'll just travel by myself."

"That's even worse than starting out early every day!" Sango strode over to where InuYasha was standing and prodded him sharply in the chest with her index finger. "We all know that left to your own devices, you'll probably end up either destroying half of Nippon or pushing yourself so hard that when you finally stop moving you'll collapse with exhaustion!"

InuYasha glared at Sango sulkily as he muttered, "...I wouldn't destroy half of Nippon."

"Not the point, InuYasha," Miroku pointed out. "Anyway, I think we should at least wait until the sun rises fully before heading out again. That way, even if we don't sleep, we'll have had plenty of rest, which will aid us in our search."

InuYasha considered it for a few minutes. Then, the hanyou's ears drooped in defeat, though his face still looked fierce.

"Fine," he gritted out, turning away from his friends and stalking to the closest tree. "You can have until sunrise." With that, InuYasha bent his legs and leaped into the tree, taking refuge amongst the branches as he settled down into a quiet sulk.

Miroku sighed before he rose to his feet and went over to coax the nearly dead embers of the fire back into proper flames. Sango sat next to him, but not before she had placed her Hiraikotsu between herself and the houshi as a sort of barrier to protect her butt from his wandering hand.

"InuYasha is certainly eager to get up and moving," Shippou commented sleepily as he leaped onto Miroku's shoulder.

"'Eager' is hardly the word I'd use," Sango muttered. "I think it's more..."

"Determined? Obsessed? Overly intense?" Miroku suggested as he managed to get a small flame to emerge from the charred wood of the previous night's fire.

Sango nodded in agreement. "Like I said, I don't _not _want to find Kagome-chan, it's just that...that..." The taijiya swallowed as a hard lump threatened to block her throat and drove tears into her eyes. "Oh, houshi-sama, it's just that it's been an entire month and we've found _nothing. _Not even a small clue about where she could have been taken."

Miroku prodded the flame some more as a tingle of awareness flashed down his spine. Absently, he wondered if the inu-hanyou up in the tree was listening to their conversation. "It's true that we haven't found anything," he said quietly. "But if we give up now, we abandon all hopes of finding Kagome-sama...perhaps forever, since the trail is already so dry."

"That's just it, houshi-sama," Sango whispered back, her voice dejected. "There is no trail for us to follow. I feel like every step we take moves us farther and farther away from Kagome-chan. Houshi-sama..."

Sango took a deep breath, steeling herself for what she was going to say next.

"...I don't think we're going to find Kagome-chan."

Miroku slanted the taijiya a quick glance. The sensation of hyper-awareness increased. _'We're striding onto very dangerous territory...' _he thought.

"Do you think that she's gone?" he asked, his voice quiet. Shippou, who had been trying very hard not to doze off while on Miroku's shoulder, started awake, his emerald eyes fixed on Sango, concern that was bordering on hysteria sparking deep in the kit's pupils. The sound of a snapping branch told Miroku that InuYasha had shifted positions in the tree. (Or, possibly, a small animal had jumped into the tree, but that was unlikely.)

"It's hard _not _to think that, houshi-sama," Sango admitted. "We haven't found a thing since that battle with Naraku, and it's been a whole month since then." Sango drew her knees up to her chest, her arms folding protectively around them as she fought the tears that were building up in her eyes. Kirara got up from where she had been lying for the past few hours and walked over to her mistress, mewing slightly as rubbed against Sango's legs. Without seeming to think about it, Sango lifted one hand and rubbed Kirara's black ears. "If we were going to find Kagome-chan, we would have found her sooner, don't you think, houshi-sama?"

Miroku considered this for a few seconds before he put in, "That's not exactly fair to InuYasha, dear Sango."

Sango's head came up off her knees in a sharp jerking motion as she whirled about to face Miroku. "W-what do you mean, _not fair_?" she sputtered.

Miroku smiled sadly as he found some kindling to throw on the weakening flames. "Let me put it this way-do you ever intend to give up on searching for Kohaku?"

Sango blinked, the outrage in her eyes morphing to confusion. "Of course not; he's my little brother. I would never give up on him."

"No matter how much time passes between when you see him?" Miroku asked.

Sango nodded.

"Then _why _shouldn't InuYasha feel the same way?" Miroku asked. "You know as well as I do that Kagome-sama is one of the most important people in InuYasha's life, just as Kohaku is one of the most important people in your life, dear Sango. He cannot give up on her, just like you cannot give up on him." Miroku's amethyst eyes were full of nothing but the wisdom his training had bestowed upon him as he fixed Sango with a very serious gaze. His voice seemed to stretch into infinity as he stated, "For either one of you to give up the search is to admit to yourselves that someone important to you will never be in your lives again."

For a few minutes after Miroku's seemingly simple statement, there was nothing but silence in the small campground. Not even the wind or the wildlife were able to disturb the odd sense that the houshi's words had placed upon not only the taijiya, but the hanyou as well.

Then, Sango rose to her feet, taking Hiraikotsu with her as she started towards the place that she had slept the night before.

"Sango?" Miroku's voice was laced with concern. He hoped that he hadn't gone too far into Sango's personal feelings when he had compared the situation with Kagome to the situation with Kohaku.

"Maybe InuYasha's right," she replied, her voice hollow. "Maybe we shouldn't be wasting any time by not looking for Kagome-chan. After all, when we were on Kohaku's trail...I never let any of you rest for even a moment, let alone myself."

Miroku got up from where he had been sitting as well, depositing Shippou on the ground as he did so.

"Make sure the flames don't die on us, Shippou," he told the kit as he turned toward Sango.

"Okay," Shippou replied, his bottom lip trembling slightly. The kitsune didn't like all this talk of death, lost loved ones and desparation. It made him think of his father, and how he had tried hard to search for the Raigekijin to avenge his death. Shippou sniffed slightly as he poked the fire with a small stick.

No matter how much trouble he went through with his companions, they would never replace his father.

Miroku, meanwhile, had arrived at the place where Sango was and had crouched down beside her. The taijiya was in the process of packing up her things into the bundle that she wore around her neck, her eyes fixed intently on her task in an attempt to get her mind off of the rather morose trail of thinking that Miroku's words had sent her.

"Don't push yourself, Sango," Miroku said, placing his cursed hand over Sango's. "I didn't mean to hurt you by saying that you were being unfair to InuYasha."

Sango sniffed slightly as she turned to Miroku. "I know, but...but...I still feel sorry for the way I acted toward InuYasha this morning. Kami knows I've been less than charitable to him in the past when we were searching for Kohaku, and now that he's in the same position as I was-and still am-I should be trying to console him, not making things _worse._"

Miroku sighed as his hand moved from Sango's hand to her shoulder. "That's true enough, but you _should _still rest. We have a long journey ahead of us, and I know for certain that none of us are sure where this path will take us, or whether it will ever end. So, we need all the rest we can get. That way, we will be ready for anything that crosses our path." Miroku released Sango's shoulder and stood up, raising his voice as he said, "That goes for you too, InuYasha!"

There was a rustling of branches as InuYasha leaped down from on high, his face unreadable as he landed next to the fire.

"Worry about your own health, houshi," InuYasha snapped at Miroku, but his words were lacking the biting force necessary for the comment to be as scathing as the hanyou had intended it to be.

Miroku just shrugged and resumed his original position by the fire.

_'The task of peacemaker is much harder than it looks...I wonder how Kagome-sama managed to do it so effectively?'_

* * *

><p>It was a relatively quiet night in Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions. Shōjin was on 'welcoming duty,' trying to coax potential customers into staying at Ichigawa's and not anywhere else. It was harder than it looked, especially since Shōjin was such a shy girl and nearly lost her voice when boisterous males of sometimes indeterminable age fixed her with a gaze that told her clearly that they desired nothing more than to strip her and take her to bed with them.<p>

The girls had mentioned that prostitution was one of the services that the inn offered, but that since it was more expensive than in other places that it was barely even practiced at Ichigawa's any more. This didn't really make Shōjin feel any better, since the potential for her to get a libido-ridden male customer was still there.

"Don't worry about it," the more maternal woman had reassured her. "Odds are, the price on you is so high that no-one will want to buy your, erm, 'services.'"

_'I certainly hope not,' _she thought as she pasted what she hoped was a welcoming smile on her face, waving to the people passing by the inn and saying things like, "Don't you want to experience the finest of Kyoto's inns?"

_'Even though I have food and shelter here-not to mention all the people who want to take care of me, I'm still not happy here. I wonder why?' _she thought as yet another group of people passed her by.

_'What am I missing?'_

* * *

><p>The gaudy streets of the city they had just entered were packed with people, even though it was close to nighttime already. Red lights glowed everywhere, signaling brothels and other such establishments as men staggered to and from different buildings, grinning stupidly and giving off a strong scent of liquor.<p>

InuYasha's nose wrinkled as he glanced around the street the group was currently traveling down. "What the hell are we doing here?" he asked as he nimbly avoided yet another drunkard. "This ain't gonna get us any closer to finding Kagome."

"Maybe, maybe not," Miroku replied. The houshi looked like he was aching to explore some of the brothels on the other side of the street, but was always dissuaded by the firm grip Sango kept on her Hiraikotsu, not to mention the glares she sent in his direction every time he started towards one of those buildings. "There are a lot of different things to find in Kyoto; maybe we'll find someone who's seen her."

"Not fuckin' likely," InuYasha grumbled, tucking his hands into his sleeves as he glared around at all the splendor.

They walked for a few minutes, buffeted by the crowd, which seemed determined to scramble about willy-nilly, spending money wherever they landed before taking to the streets again.

It was a good thirty minutes before the crowd finally thinned out and the red lights vanished altogether. It was nice and quiet in this district, with only the occasional passerby, and only rarely did that passerby happen to be drunk.

"Look! There are some inns over there!" Shippou exclaimed, leaping to the top of Miroku's head as he pointed excitedly in the direction of a square section of light, bordered on each side by a pretty girl holding a brightly lit lantern. "Maybe we could stay the night!"

"I don't know," Sango said, her eyes troubled. "They look pretty expensive, Shippou."

Miroku drew himself up to his full height as he pointed towards a particularly splendid inn with an all-too familiar glint in his purple eyes. The inn in question had only one girl standing out front, and she could barely be glimpsed since there was a big brute of a man standing in front of her, and judging by how loud their conversation was getting, he wasn't interested in getting a room...at least, not for the night.

"Then maybe we could do some rescuing and get squeezed in, hm?" he asked, the perverted glint in his eye growing brighter.

"Not if you want to stay conscious, houshi," Sango growled, her eyes growing fierce as the hand holding her Hiraikotsu tightened so much that her knuckles went white.

"But what about that girl?" Shippou asked solemnly as he looked toward the place where the (most likely) drunk man was accosting the inn's welcome girl. "Shouldn't we help her?"

There was a beat of silence during which no-one said anything.

"...Fine, I'll do it," InuYasha grumbled.

"Good idea," Sango agreed, one hand fastening onto Miroku's ear to stop him from going off and 'saving' the girl. "Just try not to kill him, okay?"

InuYasha ignored her as he grudgingly headed over to the inn.

* * *

><p>The drunken soldier leered down at Shōjin, wobbling slightly as he tried to focus on her.<p>

"You look pretty damn good, mish," he slurred, one hand extending outwards to touch either her face or her breasts.

Shōjin winced and batted his questing paw away, quickly stating, "This is a reputable establishment, sir. If you want the services of a, er, more _exciting _place, I would suggest going that way." She gestured wildly into the night, hoping against hope that the drunk would go in the direction that she was pointing, regardless of whether or not she was actually pointing at anything.

To her dismay, nothing of the sort happened. If anything, the drunkard came closer, so close that she could actually feel the heat of his body and smell the reek of liquor staining his breath.

"Ino_care _if iza republe 'stablishmen," he gurgled as his hands came up to rest on her hips. "I wan' _you, _an' I wan' you _now_. Do'wanna go t'more 'citing place."

Shōjin tried hard to swallow the sense of fear that rose within her as the drunkard's hands tightened possessively on her hips. "Y-you can't j-just take m-me anywhere you pl-please," she stuttered, her face going pale as the drunk's left hand moved to her breasts, not squeezing yet, but still intruding. "W-we have rules, y-y-you know."

The drunk just shrugged. "N'er was one fer rules."

Shōjin's eyes filled with tears as she tried to shove him away. Dropping all pretense of civility and professionalism, she cried, "Let me go! LET ME GO!"

Before the drunkard could respond, someone who was standing in the darkness spoke.

"Feh! I told Miroku it was a bad idea to come here; fuckin' streets are filled with the dregs of human society. There's no way Kagome could be here." The voice was scathing, filled with a bitter mixture of anger and some other unidentifiable emotion.

However, the thing that got her attention was the fact that the unknown voice had mentioned _Kagome. _The same name that had been shouted in her dream.

A coincidence?

"Whozat?" The drunkard turned around with a motion that would have been fluid if he had been sober. His hand flashed to the katana that was sheathed at his side as he squinted blearily into the shadows.

The owner of the voice stepped forward into the light of Shōjin's lantern.

The world froze around her. Even the air around her seemed to go still. The hands that held the lantern aloft were locked around its pole as her body stiffened so much that she resembled a flesh-colored statue.

It was _him. _The man in Kanna's mirror, the man from her dream!

The beast-like man whose eyes were a bloody scarlet, the man who killed people without even thinking!

Shōjin's mind screamed at her to run, run far away so that he would never catch her like he had tried to before, but her body was still frozen with shock.

The drunk lunged towards the silver-haired young man, his katana flashing as he drew it.

_'No, you idiot!' _she screamed silently. _'He'll kill you!'_

The drunk's katana flashed in a silvery arc as he swung it at the red-clad man standing in the street. With a deceptively easy movement, he leaped up into the air, one hand flashing downwards as he lunged toward the drunkard. Instead of killing him, however, he just punched the drunk, sending him reeling into a pool of darkness.

"Fuckin' drunk," he muttered. Then, slowly, inevitably, he turned toward her.

"You all-"

His voice died in his throat as he also froze. His golden eyes were locked on her face, and Shōjin knew she was doomed.

He had found her, and now there would be no escape.

* * *

><p>Raigekijin -Thunder Brothers<p> 


	5. The Reality of the Situation

This was the last thing he had been expecting.

Sango had sent InuYasha over to deal with the obviously drunk man who had practically been assaulting the poor welcome girl who was standing, completely alone, outside one of the inns in Kyoto's quieter district. He'd given the guy a quick punch in the head and was ready to 'apologize' to the assaulted maiden when everything had screeched to a halt.

Standing there, holding the lantern in front of her like it was a shield, was Kagome. Though she was dressed like most of the serving girls he'd seen at any number of inns he'd been forced to stop at while at their journey, as well as the fact that she looked a lot skinnier than the Kagome he remembered; but it was undeniably _Kagome_.

InuYasha's mind felt like it was breaking down.

This was _impossible! _

Even on her best day, there was no way Kagome could outrun either himself or Kirara, so how in the name of the seven hells had she gotten to Kyoto before they had?

Not only that, but her abrupt disappearance had had something to do with Naraku, hadn't it? She couldn't have gotten away from him that easily, couldn't she?

The questions started to whirl about in InuYasha's head, piling up on top of each other and making the poor hanyou quite sick to think of them.

Then, he shook his head.

_'Kagome's alive! That's all that matters right now,' _he told himself. The shock gradually receded from his mind, replaced by a heavy sense of relief.

_'She's ALIVE!'_

"Kagome, thank the Kami you're all right!" he said, fighting the grin that threatened to surge upwards. It finally surfaced, but only as a contented smirk. He started towards her, ready to take her back to their friends and end the month-long search at last.

Kagome's face went absolutely white as she began backing towards the entrance of the inn. "Stay away from me," she whimpered, her voice quavering madly as the lantern jiggled up and down in her trembling hands.

InuYasha's smirk slipped as his relief became mixed with confusion. _'Why is she scared of me?' _he wondered.

"Kagome, you baka, it's _me,_" InuYasha said, reaching for her with one hand as his ears flattened slightly.

Upon seeing his outstretched hand, Kagome shrieked, "DON'T TOUCH ME!" With a surprising burst of speed, she swung the lantern like a katana, catching InuYasha's wrist with the lamp part of the lantern. Not waiting to see what she had done, she turned tail and bolted into the inn, still wailing like a banshee.

InuYasha swore and quickly stomped out the flames that had been started when the lantern had burst and sent its contents tumbling to the ground. The blow to his hand hadn't hurt that much; what _really _hurt was the fact that Kagome had hit him.

A small whine managed to work its way through his throat before the hanyou could quell it. _'What the fuck is wrong with her?' _he wondered, darting inside the inn as he pursued the miko he had been searching for.

The women standing just inside the door saw him coming and balked, obviously afraid of the angry-looking hanyou who had most likely been accosting their co-worker, but they did their best to summon up their manners.

"Excuse me, sir, but you need to-Hey! Come back!"

InuYasha ignored the shouts that erupted behind him as he followed Kagome's scent trail. Another emotional blow came when he realized that Kagome's scent was completely drenched in fear.

_'Dammit, so she really __**was **__afraid of me! Fuckin' hell, what did that bastard Naraku __**do **__to her?' _he swore, bashing aside a shoji door without giving any thought to what he was doing.

There she was; Kagome, cowering behind what looked like a barrel of saké as her body trembled with fear. InuYasha strode over to her, trying hard not to snarl in helpless rage when she shrank back against the wall.

"No-no! Don't touch me; don't touch me!" she cried, trying and failing to shrink against the barrel.

"Fuck-calm down, just _calm down,_" InuYasha growled urgently, carefully approaching the now flailing girl. Again, he reached for her, though this time he was intent on calming Kagome down.

"Please, just stay away from me! I'm not the one you want, really!" Kagome sobbed, pressing herself more firmly against the barrel, almost as if she thought it could offer her protection. InuYasha ignored her in favor of grabbing her shoulder.

However, as soon as she saw him extending his clawed hand, she lost it completely, throwing herself against the wall as she screamed, "DON'T KILL ME! I'LL DO _ANYTHING, _JUST DON'T KILL ME!"

InuYasha froze again.

For a few desperate seconds, he thought he had been mistaken. This woman didn't know him at all; she was _afraid, _timid, not strong and fearless like Kagome was. Maybe he was wrong...

But with every breath she exhaled, Kagome's sweet scent tickled his nose, dispelling the wild notion that had formed in InuYasha's head.

"No," he said, his voice rough with shock and horror, "K-Kagome, you know me better than that. I...the...dammit, Kagome, I would never even _scratch_ you, let alone _kill _you!" InuYasha reached for her again. Now he was hoping that this was all just a bad dream. This was _worse _than wondering if Kagome was still out in Nippon somewhere. Never, never_, never_ in a thousand years would he think that Kagome wouldn't know him, wouldn't recognize him, would _fear _him.

Kagome pushed herself away from his questing hand yet again, falling over onto her back as she wailed helplessly. "No...NO! I've seen some of the things you've done; you've _murdered _people-_tore them to shreds! _I saw you _laughing _while you ripped them apart!"

InuYasha's ears flattened as he edged closer to Kagome. For the second time that night, he wondered what had happened to her. Sure, he _had _done some pretty horrible things when he'd gone full youkai, but Kagome understood that it wasn't really _him _that had done that. So why was she different _now_?

His bewilderment was cut short when the sounds of thudding footsteps reached his ears. It sounded like several people were heading over to where he and Kagome were sitting.

_'Fuck; I don't need any more distractions right now!' _

In that moment, InuYasha decided to throw caution and well being to the winds. He threw himself forward and seized Kagome about the waist, pulling her into his arms as he bolted for the door.

As he'd expected, Kagome started screaming and writhing in his arms, pummeling his shoulders with her fists and kicking her legs like a cat who didn't want to be picked up. InuYasha did his best to ignore her as he ran out of the room, bowling over a tall man in white clothes as he darted through the inn's long, twisting halls.

By the time he had found the exit, Kagome had given up on freeing herself and had just started sobbing, curling up into a small ball as she cried into her knees. It made InuYasha feel pretty low to see Kagome crying like that in his arms, but he told himself it was for the best. Better for Kagome to leave this place and be surrounded by her friends, he told himself.

With a slash of his claws, InuYasha tore through the cloth hanging over the entrance to the inn, reducing it to ribbons as he darted out into the dark streets beyond.

Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Shippou were all heading over to the inn's entrance, their faces drawn with worry at the sounds of the screams and the shouts.

"InuYasha! What the _Hell _is going on?" Sango demanded. Then, she caught sight of the sobbing woman in his arms.

"What on-"

"There's no fuckin' time for that!" InuYasha snapped angrily. "We need to get outta here NOW!"

Before the group could get any other explanation out of him, the hanyou was tearing through the streets, ignoring the sounds of the stirred-up inn behind him, as well as the protests of his friends.

* * *

><p>For she who went by Shōjin, the abrupt exit from Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions was nothing more or less than a descent into Hell.<p>

She had tried her best to run away from the murderous youkai who wanted her dead, screaming for help when he had continued to pursue her. His continued use of the name 'Kagome' was confusing to her.

In the part of her mind that wasn't completely terrified, she wondered if Kagome was the person she really was, the person she had forgotten she was when the silver haired young man and his associates (whoever they were) had chased her into Naraku's castle.

But then, before she could give the matter any more thought, he had swept her up into his arms, and her fear became paramount.

This was it-he was going to take her away somewhere, presumably to kill her. Shōjin screamed as loudly as she could, struggled as hard as she was able, but for all her efforts, she might as well have pushed against a mountain; the young man just tightened his hold on her, stifling her struggles for freedom as easily as if he were holding down the lid of a pot that wasn't even boiling. In the end, Shōjin resigned herself to her fate and collapsed against the youkai's chest, sobbing with fear and regret.

_'That Naraku person was right-I WAS safer in his castle than I was out here; I knew I shouldn't have left him, I just knew it! Maybe he was evil, but then again, maybe he wasn't. Guess I'll never know now,' _she thought, positively wailing with fear and upset as the youkai tore his way out of the inn and darted into the dark streets beyond.

There were people waiting outside. _'Are they the other people who were hunting me?' _she wondered wildly. _'Oh, Kami, I...they...Kami!'_

She wailed even louder, ignoring the words spoken between the members of the group, not paying attention to the fact that she was moving faster than she'd ever moved before, speeding past all the shops, houses, inns and other buildings that made up Kyoto as quick as blinking.

The moon hadn't even moved in the sky when they cleared Kyoto's outskirts and made their way to the wilderness beyond the city. The silver-haired youkai's step never faltered once, even though he was traveling through forest and the ground was never perfectly flat.

If Shōjin hadn't been scared out of her wits, she probably would have enjoyed the ride.

Her captor's wild running suddenly ceased, nearly forcing the breath from Shōjin's body from the force of his abrupt stop. Sniffling slightly, she turned her face to see where they had stopped.

They had arrived in a small clearing in the middle of the forest. The starry sky could be glimpsed through the many branches and leaves of the surrounding trees, highlighting the ashes of an old campfire.

_'Kami...is this it? Is this going to be the place where I die?' _she wondered.

Before she could start voicing her fears again, she had been placed on the ground by her youkai kidnapper. The grass was cold against her bare hands and feet, but she clutched it like a life-line as she gazed fearfully at the youkai who stood over her. The moonlight was glinting off of his silver hair, throwing his face into shadows, though his eyes glowed with an inner light like two golden beacons in the darkness. He crouched down beside her; she flinched away fearfully, her eyes darting from his face to his long claws and back again.

"Stay _right here,_" he commanded, his face gentle though his tone was not. Numbly, Shōjin nodded in agreement. Better to be alive and subservient that to be a dead rebel.

With some grim satisfaction glittering in the depths of his irises, the youkai stood up and went over to his group, his tone low and urgent as he addressed them.

_'What could they want with me?' _she wondered as she watched them start a fire in the middle of the clearing. _'What could they __**possibly **__want with me?'_


	6. Assessing the Situation

InuYasha wished the others would stop staring at him.

Ever since he had told them about Kagome; namely, the fact that he had found her at an inn and she had no idea who any of them were-Miroku, Sango and Shippou had looked at him with eyes as wide as coins, almost like _he _was the one responsible for this.

_'Feh! As if! I just found her like that,' _InuYasha cursed in his head as he threw another stick onto the fire. _'It's Naraku who's done something to her-but what? What the fuck did he do to her to make her forget us?'_

The aforementioned miko was sitting on the outskirts of the firelight; there was enough space to keep her away from the other members of the group, but she was close enough to be seen by those same members. Kagome's entire body was trembling like a small leaf, her small frame curled up upon itself, like if she could make herself small enough, no-one would be able to see her. The tactic wasn't working, as the group's attention slowly switched from InuYasha to Kagome.

Finally, after about an hour of silent staring, Kagome seemed to work up the courage needed to speak.

"W-w-what do you want?" she whispered, her brown eyes fearful as she shrank fearfully away from the firelight. "What do you w-want with me?"

The other two humans looked at each other; seeing the proof of Kagome's state of mind did not make the situation any easier to deal with. In fact, it made it all the harder for them. This was their _friend _sitting like that, all timid, like a mouse who was surrounded by hungry cats.

"We don't want anything, Kagome-chan," Sango finally replied, her voice sad as she tried her utmost to blink back her tears. "We're your _friends._"

Kagome scooted backwards, eyes darting around the clearing. Only a soft warning growl from InuYasha prevented the girl from bolting from the clearing. "I...I don't _have _any friends," she said, her voice a sad, plaintive little sigh. "I'm a nobody. Everyone knows that. That's why they call me Shōjin-because I'm nobody. I have _nothing: _no friends, no family, no home, and no things. All I have is the knowledge that there are people out in Nippon who want me _dead." _When she said this, Kagome began to scoot away again, her eyes averted from the shocked faces of her 'captors.'

"Dear Kami...you don't...you can't..." Sango couldn't even get the sentence out past her lips, the shock and horror was layered so thickly upon her.

"You think that's _us?_" InuYasha demanded, his tone somewhere between angry and heartbroken as he stared down at Kagome. Upon hearing his anger, Kagome squeaked and shrank down again, again, much like a mouse.

"Don't hurt me! _DON'T HURT ME!" _she pleaded, her entire body submissive as she tried to back into the shadows surrounding the firelight. "I...I'm sorry if I said too much, but...but..."

Shippou chose this moment to hop over to Kagome. His emerald eyes were sad as he reached out a tiny hand to pat Kagome's knee, tears gathering in his eyes when she jerked back again.

"Don't you remember us, Kagome?" the little kitsune asked, his voice small as he looked up at his mother-figure. "Don't you remember us?"

Kagome looked down at Shippou, her entire body trembling. The look in her eyes made Shippou start to cry. It was the look of a frightened, hunted animal who was dithering between the fight and flight response. It was the look of a refugee who had nowhere to go.

And, it was the look of a person who had no past, no present, and no foreseeable future.

Kagome stopped backing away from Shippou when his tears started falling. Her head tilted a little bit, almost in confusion. She was still frightened, but seeing the sad child in front of her was hurting her in a place within her heart she didn't even know existed. She reached out, her hand trembling as she reached out to brush Shippou's bright orange locks.

_'Well, Kanna's mirror thing didn't really show me anything about this kitsune, so I guess he's not...bad,'_ she thought, her fear fading somewhat as she gazed down at the whimpering child.

"Um...are...are...are you okay?" she asked timidly, the tips of her fingers just barely brushing the tiny kit's coppery locks.

At the hesitant feel of his foster mother's fingers, Shippou lost it completely. With a great wail, he threw himself at her breast, burying his face in her kimono as his tears flowed freely from his great emerald eyes.

"Why?" he sobbed. "Why don't you remember me, Kagome?"

Kagome blinked down at him, oblivious to the looks the other members of the camp were giving her, which, at the moment, were ranging from disbelieving to hopeful.

_'Shippou does not scare her, as we obviously do,'_ Miroku observed quietly. '_Maybe, just maybe, we can reach through whatever is blocking her memories through him.'_

"I...I don't understand," she whispered weakly."How can you still think that I'm this 'Kagome' person you're looking for? I don't have any power. I'm nothing; a nobody. I told you, that's why they called me 'Shōjin.' Because I'm _nothing._"

As the rather negative words left her lips, Shippou's wails became even louder.

"Kagome-sama," Miroku said sadly, his amethyst eyes grave as he turned to her. Kagome stiffened, her arms moving to prise the kitsune off of her chest.

"What? H-have I done something wrong?" she asked, her body flattening submissively. "I-I haven't hurt him, see?" As she spoke, she proffered the tiny kitsune.

Miroku's eyes became even more grave as he looked at her. "Don't worry, I'm not angry at you," he reassured her. "But I must ask you: what can you remember?"

InuYasha and Sango both looked at Miroku, confusion warring with pain dominating their eyes. He could tell that they were confused as to why he was asking the question, but it was something that had been nagging at him ever since InuYasha had told them about Kagome's 'condition.'

Kagome's face became more confused and a little less frightened as she looked at Miroku. "Why...why do you want to know?" she asked, her voice still a frightened little squeak.

"Well, you obviously didn't put the idea that we were trying to kill you into your _own _head, so, the question is, who did? And,_ do you remember?_" the houshi emphasized.

Kagome backed away again, one hand coming up to clutch at the neck of her kimono, Shippou having rolled out of her grasp to sob into Kirara's fur. _'Is...is that houshi talking about Naraku?' _she wondered, her eyes darting to and from the grim faces surrounding her.

As of yet, Kagome still hadn't really decided if Naraku was a friend or just a concerned party, though she _thought _she knew that he was evil...or at least, evil-looking.

However, he _had _saved her, right? Provided her with shelter, given her an idea as to her surroundings, and all that? Not to mention the fact that these people were out to kill him.

_'Who do I trust?' _she wondered, her eyes flicking from InuYasha's face to the starry sky above. _'The man I only knew for a few minutes who at least TRIED to help me, or these people who want me dead and kidnapped me from the place I worked at, claiming it was for my own good?'_

"I...I don't remember anything past Ichigawa's," she lied, hoping against hope that they would believe her.

For a few seconds, Miroku and Sango both looked disappointed. They had obviously been hoping that Kagome would be able to tell them what had happened to her, and the 'knowledge' that she didn't hurt them.

As soon as the words left her lips, though, she saw that InuYasha's eyes had narrowed into dangerous golden slits, his ears flicking back as a low growl exited his throat. Kagome crawled backwards, her heart thudding at the sudden predatory look that had come over him.

"You're lying," he growled softly.

Miroku and Sango both looked at him. "What?" they exclaimed together.

The hanyou ignored them as he moved forward, eyes fixed on Kagome's retreating figure. "Why the _fuck _would you lie to us?" he snarled, not noticing the frantic way Kagome was moving now, trying hard to push herself to her feet and failing miserably every time she looked up into his angry eyes.

"N-no I'm not," she warbled weakly, her eyes now darting around the clearing.

_'An out, an out, there has to be an out!' _she thought frantically.

"You're still lying!" he barked. "An' you know how I know? Your fuckin' scent gives it away! So tell me-_what do you remember_?"

At this, whatever remained of Kagome's 'nerves' were shredded in that moment. InuYasha saw the fear reach its climax in her eyes as she took to her feet and flew into the woods, a terrified, "DON'T KILL ME! I DIDN'T MEAN TO LIE!" echoing in her wake.

InuYasha was about to leap after her when a hand on his shoulder made him whirl around.

Miroku, who had been watching the one-sided argument with the morbid fascination usually associated with one who was watching a train wreck, had put his cursed hand on InuYasha's shoulder in a gentle show of restraint.

"Sango, my dear," he said softly, "Will you please go and fetch Kagome-sama? I fear for her safety in this condition."

Sango nodded, then turned to Kirara and motioned to her. Without missing a beat, the nekomata leaped lightly to her feet, gave Shippou a good-bye lick on his forehead, and transformed. In a few seconds, Sango had leaped onto her back and had taken to the sky.

"Wait, I'll be the one who-OW!" InuYasha cursed up a blue streak as Miroku's Shakujou struck a stinging blow to the rather sensitive area between his fuzzy ears.

"InuYasha, I do not think it is such a good idea to go after Kagome-sama right now," Miroku said as he gripped InuYasha's forearm, maneuvering him over to the log on which he and Sango had previously been sitting on.

"Give me one good fuckin' reason," the hanyou growled, massaging the lump between his ears as he eyed Miroku balefully.

Miroku sighed. "InuYasha, Kagome-sama remembers nothing about us. The only thing she thinks she knows is that we're trying to kill her."

"Tell me somethin' I don't know," InuYasha grumbled.

Miroku's eyebrows connected in a stern line as he eyed the hanyou disapprovingly. "She's afraid of us, InuYasha. We need to get her to trust us again-a job made much harder, I might add, since your little display of temper a few minutes ago." Miroku stood up and moved to look at the moon, his eyes far away as he intoned, "The Kagome-sama we know and love is locked away somewhere in the recesses of her mind. For now, we must concentrate on befriending this Kagome, and getting angry at her like you did before is not going to work, InuYasha."

InuYasha turned away, his eyes locking on the fire as his ears flattened to his head again, though this time it was in shame, rather than in anger.

Truth be told, he hadn't really noticed that Kagome was getting afraid; he never really noticed anything when he lost his temper, except the harsh blow the subjugation necklace gave him, or perhaps the pungent smell of Kagome's blood. Not only that, he was used to Kagome shouting back at him, which usually managed to damp down the flames of his anger. Seeing her submissive and secretive had somehow just fueled the flames of his anger. Now, however, looking back, InuYasha cursed himself for not realizing just how upset Kagome was getting.

"What...what're we gonna do?" he asked dejectedly, tossing another stick onto the fire.

Miroku came back over to InuYasha, sitting down beside him and tucking Shakujou into the crease of his shoulder as he looked over at his hanyou friend. "I don't know, InuYasha," he replied. "My best guess is that we are going to have to show her as much kindness as possible; show her how we truly feel about her and chase out the lies that were put into her head."

The two men sat in silence for a few minutes, waiting for the return of their women, not noticing when Shippou joined them by the fireside. The little kit's sobs had subsided by that point, though he occasionally sniffled.

All of them were thinking the same thing, though.

_'What could possibly have happened to Kagome?'_

* * *

><p>She had to get away from this nightmare. She couldn't<em> take <em>it any more.

Kagome pushed her way frantically through some clinging bushes, cringing as they tore through her clothes like claws.

_Claws_. The thought of claws sent a shudder down her spine, her dream coming back to her full force, the dream of the man who had charged at her, the man who had grinned in sheer madness as he lifted his hands to tear her limb from limb.

_'No!' _she screamed frantically inside of her head, imagining that the red-eyed youkai himself was chasing her at that very moment, saliva dripping hungrily from his fangs, moonlight glinting on his long silver hair and jagged purple stripes.

So frightened was she by the terrifying images running through her brain, and so intent was she on running through the forest, that she didn't notice the shadow that passed overhead.

Sango saw her friend running noisily through the forest and felt a pang in her heart.

_'Why are you running, Kagome-chan?'_ she wondered, even as she directed Kirara to swoop down beside her friend. _'Don't you know that none of us will ever hurt you?'_

Sango's arm flashed out, catching Kagome by the sleeve of her kimono and pulling her upwards.

If the taijiya was expecting Kagome to come quietly, she was sadly mistaken.

"LET ME GO! LET ME GO! I'VE DONE NOTHING, I'M NOBODY!" she screamed, so loudly that her voice frightened several sleeping birds out of the trees. She squirmed like a trapped snake as she writhed and wiggled in the taijiya's firm grasp, lashing out with her hands and feet as she struggled wildly for freedom.

Sango held on, though. Fighting tears and hoping against hope that a solution could be found soon, the taijiya made her way back to the camp.

_'What could have happened to you, Kagome?'_

* * *

><p><em>A<em>/_N: Urrgh...school is really hectic right now. The last few weeks before summer vacation always is, what with all the teachers cramming in all the work they meant to put in earlier in the year just in time for the big test! _

_Man, I'm so tired right now, it isn't even funny. =P  
><em>


	7. Adjusting

**note from baneofshadow: Only three words this time:**

**FINAL. EXAMS. SUCK.**

* * *

><p>Sango returned nearly ten minutes after she had left, toting along a wildly struggling Kagome. Her jaw was set, her eyes sparkling with unshed tears. She deposited her unhappy passenger onto the ground next to the fire, then had Kirara leap away so that she could dismount.<p>

Kagome was wailing with a combination of fear and great unhappiness, rocking back and forth as she clutched her knees, sobbing brokenly as tears trailed down her face to disappear in the trailing strands of her hair.

_'Why?' _she lamented, covering her face with her hands as she continued to sob despondently. _'Why aren't they letting me leave? Are they really as heartless as Naraku said they were?'_

Sango, meanwhile, had dismounted Kirara and had headed over to where the men (plus Shippou) were sitting, trying hard not to start crying as well.

"Houshi-sama," she managed, looking at Miroku with sad eyes, "What on Earth could have happened to Kagome to make her like this?"

Miroku's eyes were solemn as he rose from his place on the log and put his arms around Sango in an unusually comforting gesture.

"I wish I knew, dear Sango," he replied. "But, for now, we'll just have to hope that she can remember who she is. As long as she holds no memory of us, though, we shall have to be as kind as possible to her, since she apparently thinks we want to kill her."

Sango nodded, the tears finally winning the battle with her will and escaping to trail down her cheeks. "It's so hard, houshi-sama," she murmured. "Kagome-chan is like a little sister to me, and now...I'm a stranger to her, and not just _any _stranger-a stranger who wants to kill her!"

Sango's voice broke on the last word, and she nearly collapsed, burying her face in Miroku's shoulder as she wept quietly. He held her while she wept-it was good for her to get these emotions out into the open.

Then, a flash of silver that was not moonlight glinted in the corner of Miroku's eye.

"InuYasha, don't do it," he warned.

The hanyou, who had been approaching the distraught girl like a timid dog would approach a stranger, turned to stare at the houshi.

"Don't do what, bouzou?" he growled.

"I know you want to at least _try _to comfort Kagome, but in this state she fears you more than she fears anything else in the world, and I myself fear that your, uh, _particular _method of comfort would do more damage to her than good. Until she remembers something, you will have to keep your distance from her," Miroku warned.

InuYasha growled, his fangs flashing in the moonlight as he gritted out, "Why the _fuck _would she fear me the most?"

Miroku sighed sadly, noticing in a corner of his mind that Sango had stopped weeping now, her breathing slowly evening out. "Don't you see, my impulsive, rash friend? Kagome loved you more than she loved anything else in the entirety of the world. Whatever Naraku has done to her, it's obvious that he intended to break that one quality that made her such an asset to our team: her loyalty to you."

The angry look had vanished completely from InuYasha's features, replaced by a look of shock. "Y-you can't mean that," he finally managed to say, his slit pupils dilating to their fullest extent.

Miroku sighed again, then lifted one hand and gestured toward the screeching girl on the ground. "Doesn't _that,_" he asked, "prove me right? Kagome fears you more than she fears the rest of us; you're the one she thinks wants to kill her the most."

InuYasha's fangs flashed again as he snarled, "I would _never _even _hurt _her!"

"But she doesn't _know _that, InuYasha!" Miroku snapped back, finally losing his patience with the stubborn inu-hanyou. "Whatever suggestion Naraku has planted in her mind turned her against us-against _you!_ It will not be easy to win her back, _especially _since you keep wanting to stick your foot into things!"

InuYasha's fist flashed out, smashing into a nearby tree and sending splinters shooting out into the darkness. "I'm _not _trying to 'stick my foot in,' dammit! I just don't like the way Kagome's acting right now!"

"That isn't the-" Miroku began hotly, but just then the woman in his arms planted her hands on his chest and shoved him as hard as she could. Miroku practically flew backwards, his head colliding painfully with the tree directly behind him.

Not wasting any time, Sango whirled about and delivered a hard slap to InuYasha, making his neck pop with the force of the blow.

"STOP IT!" she bellowed. "Don't you see what you're doing? You're acting like savages, tearing at each other's throats like that!" Ignoring the indignant look on the hanyou's face, she turned back toward Miroku, who was massaging a lump on his head. "Houshi-sama," she continued, "You're the one who _just said _that the only way to win Kagome-chan back was to be kind to her, and that little display of manliness or whatever the fuck you men call it won't help Kagome-chan at all!" Sango glared at both Miroku and InuYasha, her teary red eyes giving her the look of a particularly angry youkai.

"I don't _care _how hard it is for you to be nice to each other; _behave,_" she snarled. Then, she turned on her heel and headed towards the girl sitting on the ground.

"Fuckin' hell," InuYasha cursed, rubbing the bright red slap-mark on his cheek. "What the fuck's her problem?"

Miroku winced as he got up off the ground, one hand still kneading the knot on his head. "I believe we got a little too...upset at one another, InuYasha."

"You mean we were fighting."

Miroku sighed. "Yes, InuYasha, we were fighting. Sango was right, though; if Kagome-sama sees us fighting amongst ourselves, how would we convince her to trust us if she thinks we don't even trust the members of our own group?"

InuYasha didn't reply; he just turned his golden gaze over to where Sango was now trying to comfort Kagome, his face unreadable.

Then, just when Miroku had decided to give up for the night and settle down, the hanyou spoke.

"...Did you mean what you said, or were you just fuckin' with me?" he asked.

Miroku raised a brow. "What did I say?"

"Y-you said K-Kagome loved me," InuYasha stuttered, his face turning bright pink.

Miroku gave InuYasha a sad smile. "Yes, InuYasha, I did. And I did mean it."

InuYasha flicked a brief glance over at the houshi. "Really?"

Miroku snorted. "The rest of us knew it long ago; the way she always got mad at you after you went to see Kikyou, the way she took care of your wounds, the way she went to so much trouble to make a meal for you-yes, believe me, Kagome-sama loves you with all of her heart."

InuYasha was silent for another moment before he said, "But what if she doesn't get her memory back?"

"Then all bets are off, InuYasha," Miroku stated. "If the memory loss goes deep enough for her to forget her love for you, then maybe it wasn't as deep as we thought it was."

As soon as the words left his lips, Miroku knew that he'd said exactly the wrong thing. InuYasha tensed as if he was about to spin around and launch himself at the houshi. Then, before Miroku could even lift his staff in preparation for a defense, the hanyou's shoulders slumped.

"Shoulda fuckin' known it," InuYasha mumbled dejectedly. "Shouldn't have fuckin' got my hopes up. Who could ever love a fuckin' dirty half-breed?"

Miroku strode forward, secretly wincing at the biting self-hatred in the hanyou's voice. "InuYasha, you know I didn't mean that. Maybe it's just lying buried there beneath the surface-"

Before he could approach InuYasha, the hanyou had leaped away, leaped into the trees, saying without words that he wanted to be left alone.

Miroku sighed, turning back toward the two women, Kirara and Shippou. He knew he had tread past the invisible line dividing them from the InuYasha they knew and the InuYasha whom Kagome had glimpsed and soothed; the InuYasha who had spent nearly one hundred and fifty years hunted, persecuted and hated by humans and youkai alike, turning him bitter, resentful, uncaring and hating. The memories the hanyou carried of that time were surely the most painful he had, and losing the one person who treated him like everybody else hurt him more than they could see.

However, to Miroku's delight, Kagome seemed to be faring a little better. She was, at least, not trying to run away like she had been before. She did look wary, but she was sitting closer to Sango and Shippou than she had been sitting close to anyone since InuYasha had carried her from the inn and toward the forest.

At the sound of his steps, Kagome looked up and nearly jumped into the air.

"It's okay, Kagome-chan," Sango soothed, placing one hand on her knee and pressing her back down. "Houshi-sama is a friend, and will never hurt you."

Miroku nodded as he sat down next to her, noting the way she sat like a timid rabbit, ready to bolt at the first notice. "True; I will never hurt you, Kagome-sama."

Kagome looked at him, her great brown eyes fearful, but curious. "You mean that?"

The houshi nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Of course. You are my dear friend, after all. Even if you don't remember me, I will always be your friend."

A soft blush moved to cover Kagome's cheeks, making Miroku, Sango and Shippou smile. "Th-thank you," she stuttered.

Then, her eyes moved to the treeline where InuYasha had vanished.

"Is...is _he _okay, too?" she asked, almost hesitantly.

Miroku didn't need eyes in the back of his head to know that when Kagome had asked that, InuYasha's attention had sharpened palpably; the houshi could practically _feel _the hanyou's eyes burning as he stared at the miko in question.

"Yes, yes he is," Miroku replied, his eyes intense as he stared willfully at the miko. "He may be crude, violent and a bit of a baby, but he is one of the most honorable people I know."

"Except when he's chasing Kikyou," Shippou amended without thinking, his small nose wrinkling.

At the sound of the name, Kagome's back stiffened as her hand flashed to her heart. For reasons unknown to her, the unknown person's name had caused a slight jab to her heart, a jab of almost unbearable pain.

_'What...what...what is this pain?' _she wondered, her eyes wide as the warmth of her hand slowly seeped through her chest, warming the cold spot the name had placed inside of her heart.

"Kagome-chan? Are you alright?" Sango asked, her face alight with concern.

"When...when you said that name," she said hesitantly, "it hurt. Right here." The hand clutching her heart twitched slightly as she spoke.

The people around her stared at her as though she had started babbling madly.

"What did you say?" Miroku asked quietly.

Kagome drew away slightly, frightened by the intensity in his eyes. "I...I just said...just said that when you said that name, my heart hurt."

The others looked at each other, nonplussed by this unexpected turn of events.

If Kagome's _heart _remembered the pain of Kikyou's name, then was it possible that her _mind _could eventually understand the emotions attached to that pain?


	8. The Slap

It wasn't really the fact that she was afraid of them that made Kagome unable to leave the campground after her initial escape…it was the fact that the people whom Naraku had claimed to be her jailers hadn't tried to punish her for running away. Also, she sensed that the houshi, taijiya and kitsune really were trying to be nice to her, and not just to make her more compliant. They were genuinely concerned for her well-being, and Kagome found that slightly touching, even if she was still wary of them.

The hanyou, though…the hanyou she wasn't so sure about. The dream and the images in the mirror featured him with blazing red eyes and jagged purple stripes on his cheeks, a leer of intense blood-lust twisting eerily across his face as his long claws tore through countless innocents. The hanyou sitting on the tree branch, however, had rather pretty eyes of a clear golden color, and his cheeks were free of marks of any kind, and she hadn't seen him harm so much as a bird since she had met him. Kagome wracked her brains, trying to figure out how the hanyou on the branch and the hanyou in her dream fit together, but gave up after only five minutes of hard thinking. Without any memories to help her stumble through the thinking process, she was up the proverbial creek without a paddle.

What unsettled her more than the fact that the hanyou looked exactly like the man in her dream, however, was the looks he had been giving her since he had picked her up and-well, _stolen_ her from Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions. On the rare occasion that she intercepted his looks, she could never get over the fact that she seemed to be hurting inside. His golden eyes were filled with pain whenever he looked at her, a pain that none of the others acknowledged. She didn't understand that look at all. Why was he so sad? Surely he didn't care about _her_, did he? After all, what was she to him? A serving-girl he had kidnapped from an inn? An enemy who he had to destroy because of some sort of power she was supposed to carry?

Kagome didn't want to ask the others about the hanyou's strange behavior; it was better to let sleeping youkai lie, anyhow. _'I can't ask them about him,'_ she thought to herself. _'I barely even know him.'_

So, she had pushed the subject from her mind and tried to focus on other things.

Something that mildly surprised her was that she was responding to the name of Kagome. It was almost a reflex, like her mind had forgotten, but her muscles hadn't, always making her twitch slightly at the mention of Kagome. That was something that hadn't happened when she had borrowed the name 'Shōjin.'

_'Maybe...maybe my name really is Kagome,' _she thought, her mind tingling with a strange sort of numbness. Her eyes moved from the safety of the hands folded in her lap to the people sleeping around the fire.

Her eyes fell first upon the taijiya who had captured her when Kagome had first attempted to run away. In sleep, her face was gentler; there was no anger present in her strong visage...just a strange sense of sadness that Kagome instinctively knew went deep into the taijiya's soul. She got the strangest sense that she _knew _what was making the taijiya sad...

Then, her eyes wandered over to the houshi. His face was calm, like it had been when he'd introduced himself to her earlier that day. Unlike the taijiya, his face did not hold a shadow of sadness or anger. Whatever haunted the houshi apparently did not bother him in his dreams, Kagome reflected.

Then, almost reluctantly, almost against her will, her eyes went to the treeline.

The hanyou...the hanyou who was so confusing to her, the hanyou who had murdered many people in cold blood, had retired up to the trees when the other members of the group had announced their intentions to retire for the night. (In the small part of her brain that wasn't tainted with a faint fear about the day's turn of event, Kagome wondered how on Earth he could manage to sleep in a _tree. A tree, _for Kami's sake!)

Kagome got up slowly, carefully dislodging the kitsune who had clung to her like a limpet and placing him on the grass that served as her bed. He whimpered and curled up into a little ball, but did not wake.

Trying her best to blend into the shadows, Kagome crept into the trees surrounding the clearing, moving in the direction she thought the hanyou had come when he had taken her from Ichigawa's.

_'I don't really know if I can trust these people,' _she told herself. _'They may be nice, but I don't know their intentions, their motives...Kami, I don't even know their __**names!**__'_

Kagome, seizing the last of her resolve in what she fervently hoped was a grip of iron, moved off into the darkness of the forest, turning her back on the dimming fire and moving toward the place she thought was her home.

* * *

><p>InuYasha couldn't sleep. That wasn't really anything new, but tonight was an exception to the usual routine.<p>

Usually, InuYasha couldn't sleep because he was uncomfortable sleeping with three defenseless humans beneath him. He was 'responsible' for them, dammit, and they needed him more than they would ever admit (or so he thought). Or, sometimes, he couldn't sleep because the ghosts of his past would start haunting him as soon as his lids drifted over his eyes.

Tonight, however...tonight he couldn't sleep because he knew Kagome did not remember him. The knowledge that Kagome had just _forgotten _him like that had shaken him to the core, had hurt him in a place he didn't even know existed. It wasn't an image of his past that haunted him tonight; no, it was Kagome's face, twisted with fear for her life as she cowered behind a barrel of saké, as she wielded the lantern like a katana, as she fled into the bowels of the inn that haunted him now. Kami damn it all, just _remembering _it caused him pain...

InuYasha swore softly to himself as he tried to make himself a little more comfortable on his branch of choice. It had been a while since he had last slept in a tree; just went to show how close he had gotten to the little miko from the future without even realizing it. Over the months he had spent with her, InuYasha had gradually eased closer and closer to her, like a timid dog would approach an unfamiliar, yet kind, person. He hadn't realized just _how _close he had gotten to Kagome until she had forgotten him. Now, with Kagome whimpering if he so much as took a step toward her, InuYasha had no choice but to sleep in the trees again, farther away from Kagome than was comfortable for him.

_'But apparently not for her,' _he thought to himself grimly, the hand around Tetsusaiga tightening until his knuckles turned white. _'Kami damn that bastard Naraku to the deepest pits of the seven hells for making Kagome forget __**me**__! I'll make him regret the day he was spawned if it's the last thing I do,' _he snarled to himself, his lip curling back slightly to reveal his fangs as his golden eyes flashed in the darkness.

But then, the question that had been simmering in him since he had sworn vengeance against Naraku for causing Kikyou's death bubbled to the surface: what then? What if, even after he killed Naraku and used/destroyed the Shikon-no-Tama, Kagome _still _wasn't normal? What would he do _then_? Just let her go and live the life she was supposed to back in the Heisei jidai? Keep her here and try to coerce her into remembering them?

InuYasha shook himself and rose into a slight crouch on the branch. _'Fuck this,' _he grumbled to himself. He never had been good at looking at the 'bright' side of life, as Kagome had called it. _'Not that there seems to be a bright side in this situation,' _he reminded himself glumly.

The words he had been trying to repress all evening came back to him at this thought.

_"If the memory loss goes deep enough for her to forget her love for you, then maybe it wasn't as deep as we thought it was."_

InuYasha was sure Miroku had just been thinking out loud when he had said that, but the words had stung more than Kagome's blow to his hand or Miroku's whack to the head.

It just went to show, InuYasha thought bitterly, that no-one could truly love a hanyou. Kagome probably just pitied him and took mercy on him by being his friend, and the others had mistook this pity for love.

_'Wouldn't be the first fuckin' time that happened,' _he told himself, burying the hurt of his wounded heart to the best of his ability and putting on what he fervently hoped was a nonchalant face. _'Feh! Like I cared about her at all. I don't care.'_

Just then, a shiver ran down his back, making his ears flatten to his skull and his lips pull back to reveal his fangs.

Someone was looking at him.

With the slow movements of a tiger moving from the position of stalked to stalker, InuYasha turned around in a semi-circle, his golden eyes scanning the treeline and the edges of the clearing for any sign of a youkai (or human) miscreant. There was nothing to be found there, so he shook himself again and looked down at the sleeping humans to make sure they were all right. As soon as he did so, his body froze like it had when he had been shot by Kikyou's arrow all those years ago.

It was Kagome who was staring at him; well, maybe not _at _him, but in his general direction. Her face was fearful, but it was also curious, with a little bit of confusion thrown in. InuYasha stared back at her, trying to ignore the longing that rose within him, as well as the hurt, as he took in her face; her kind, sweet, fearful face.

Then, Kagome turned away, hiding her face with her black bangs. Before InuYasha could let out a small sigh of what he would say was relief, but other would say was regret, Kagome stood up, prising the sleeping Shippou off her chest and placing him gently on the ground. InuYasha's attention sharpened as he leaned forward, Tetsusaiga clutched in his hands.

Was she trying to run away again?

A sound torn between a small snarl and a lilting whine started in his throat as he rose from a partial crouch to as much of a standing pose as he could manage while still on the branch.

Kagome turned away from him and moved into the shadows of the trees, moving as quickly and silently as she could as she moved away from the camp.

To a human, Kagome probably _would _have been silent and unseen. To a hanyou with superior night-vision and hearing, however, she might as well have been stomping around in a giant spotlight. InuYasha watched her leave for precisely twenty-one seconds before he kicked off the branch he had been resting on, moving as silently as a ghost through the trees as he soared overhead.

Kagome, of course, didn't notice him. She should have; she had reached the point in her spiritual maturity where she could sense youki from a fair distance away, so why couldn't she sense him?

InuYasha shoved the question aside in favor of being angry at Kagome. _'Baka onna,' _he snarled, _'running away again! She shoulda known I'd come after her!'_

Unfortunately for InuYasha, his temper soon got the better of him once again, driving him to jump forward, further than Kagome's current position. Pivoting on the branch with a grace that would drive most felines to jealousy, the inu-hanyou whirled about and launched himself toward the miko.

Upon seeing the hanyou hurtling toward her much like he had in her dream, Kagome let out a scream of terror that shook the Earth to its roots, sending birds shrieking from the trees and almost making InuYasha crash into the hard ground. She leaped back, cringing into a clump of bushes as tears began coursing down her face.

InuYasha swore, calling himself every name he could think of as he untangled himself from the foliage that had latched onto him. Creeping forward slowly, cautiously, trying to wrestle his frustration and anger back into some semblance of civility, InuYasha approached the trembling girl. His ears were flattened again, though this time from shame and humility, rather than irritation and suspicion.

"Kagome," he started, hesitantly reaching for her.

Kagome cringed deeper into the bushes, covering her face with her arms as she whimpered, "Don't...don't touch me. I...I won't run away again, I promise...just don't hurt me!"

InuYasha displayed his fangs again in a show of helpless rage as he bit out, "For fuck's sake, Kagome, I wasn't attacking you! I...I..." InuYasha trailed off, unable to put his inner turmoil into words. Not that Kagome would have understood him anyway, since her memories were gone.

"I don't believe you," Kagome moaned, trying hard to blend into the foliage and failing miserably.

InuYasha slowly shook his head, his ears filled with a strange sort of ringing as he edged closer. "Kagome, just listen to me. I would _never_ hurt you, not if a thousand years passed between the times I saw you. You _know _that...maybe you don't remember, but you _know _that." As he spoke, InuYasha tentatively reached out, his clawed fingers seeking the softness of Kagome's upper arm.

Kagome somehow sensed what he was doing and moved away, her entire body stiffening as she pressed herself against a nearby tree. "I _don't _know you," she hissed, trying to look fierce while still wiping tears off her face. "We've never even _met _before that scene in Ichigawa's! I don't know who you think I am, or what you think I'm capable of, but I'm telling you, I'm NOT who you think I am!" Kagome jerked up to her feet, wobbling slightly as she started moving away from InuYasha, her eyes widening when he rose to his feet as well.

"Could you at least give me a chance?" InuYasha asked, a hint of irritation returning to his voice.

Kagome backed away from him again, her small frame alight with tension as she continued her retreat. Her mouth worked for a few moments before she managed to say one last sentence.

"I don't _want _to give you a chance, you monster!"


	9. Heart of the Problem

In his newly regained life, there were moments when InuYasha missed the numbness of the seal that Kikyou had placed upon him. At least the sleep the arrow had put him under was peaceful, free of the intense betrayal and hurt that had befallen InuYasha when the arrow had pierced his chest; feelings that had been released when Kagome had pulled out the arrow.

Now those feelings swirled anew within InuYasha's scarred heart, tearing open the wounds that the miko standing before him had healed, if only partially. But this hurt so much more, because it was _Kagome _who had hurt him so badly. Adding insult to injury was the fact that she didn't even _know _she was hurting him; to her, he was a monster, equal to a slavering youkai she might have met in the forest.

The white ears atop his head flattened to his scalp so totally it actually hurt, not that pain mattered to the hanyou at the moment. His eyes squeezed shut in an effort to conceal a sudden burning behind his dulling golden irises. His left hand clenched into a fist so tight that his claws pierced his palm, sending small streams of blood dripping from in between his fingers.

Kagome stared at him, confused as all hell. Of all the reactions she'd been expecting from him when she had shrieked that final sentence, this was not _anything _she'd been waiting for. Anger was the first reaction she'd expected. Indifference as the hanyou abandoned her in the forest, that was a theory, too.

But as soon as the words had left her lips, the hanyou had looked like he'd been slapped in the face. Then, like like smoke in the wind, the color had been leeched out of his golden eyes, reducing them to a dull parody of their former selves shortly before he'd closed his eyes, his black lashes dusting his cheeks in a gesture of...defeat? Stunned, she watched as his lips started to tremble, his hand clenching into a bloody fist, the ears atop his head flattening until they were no longer visible. What was this emotion on his face?

Kagome's mouth opened, shut, opened again, then closed again with a small snap. What could she say, when she didn't even know what had hurt him?

Slowly, she backed away, wondering if she should stay here with an upset hanyou or run away into the night and never have to deal with any youkai or hanyou again. Before Kagome could make the decision, however, the hanyou's right arm flashed out, catching her wrist with his clawed hand. His eyes opened in a glare that was probably meant to be menacing, but had lost its effect since his eyes were dull and emotionless.

"You're. Not. Going. Anywhere," he managed to grit out. His voice was thick with suppressed emotion-_'Rage? Hatred?'_ Kagome wondered wildly, trying to tug her hand out of his grip.

"Let me go," she hissed frantically, heart pounding in her throat.

InuYasha exposed his fangs, letting out a sound that was halfway between a growl and a high pitched whine. "Baka onna," he said again, though the anger in his face was absent from his voice. "I am _not _letting go. Not now, not _ever._"

Kagome squirmed again, wincing slightly when his claws dug into her flesh. "But...but you _can't _hold me prisoner! I _know _what you want! He told me you want to _kill me!_"

As abruptly as the color had vanished from them, the gold rushed back into InuYasha's irises, sending them from dull topaz to bright amber in a split second. Kagome blinked at the change, then shrank away when she realized that the hanyou's eyes were enraged.

"Who, Kagome?" he growled; a true growl this time, vibrating in his throat and sending tingles down her arm. Kagome swallowed as she realized her mistake. In trying to 'negotiate' her escape, Kagome had accidentally revealed that which she had tried to keep hidden; her unintentional savior-the mysterious Naraku.

"Nobody," she lied feebly.

InuYasha didn't buy it; then again, Kagome told herself wryly, it hadn't worked last time she'd tried to lie, either. His teeth flashed in a snarl, eyes flashing as he pulled on her wrist, resulting in her chest smashing into his, his angry golden eyes boring into her bewildered brown eyes.

"Who. Told. You?" he snarled.

Kagome dithered, considered, then finally surrendered. "He t-t-told me his n-n-name was Naraku," she stuttered, trying to shrink into as much of a ball as possible while InuYasha still held her wrist.

If InuYasha had looked angry before, he looked absolutely livid now. The whites of his eyes flashed red for a split second as his pupils contracted to tiny slits. A ruthless growl erupted in his chest as the bloody fist at his side clenched impossibly tighter. "And you _believed _that worthless piece of shit?" he howled, his eyes burning with anger and that other unidentifiable emotion. "You _BELIEVED _him? How _COULD _you? How could you believe _him _and not _us?_"

Before Kagome could react, InuYasha's bloody left hand unclenched and flashed to her waist, tugging her against his chest as his other hand tightened about her wrist.

The shock was mind-numbing.

The hanyou, who was supposed to hate her guts and want her dead, was _hugging _her. Hugging her like she was the only woman on the face of the planet, burying his face in her shoulder, clutching at her wrist and waist.

"You trusted him, but you don't trust me," he mumbled, and Kagome finally understood the emotion in his voice. The word was simple enough, and yet it carried enough weight to cave in a mountain.

Betrayal.

"Um..." Kagome didn't know what to say. Everything about this hanyou was a confused jumble in her mind, the things Naraku had told and shown her and the things she was seeing with her own eyes battling for dominance.

InuYasha pulled away from her, letting her wrist go as he turned away from her, veiling his eyes with his lashes again. "Come on. We're going back to the others," he told her, his voice completely free of emotion.

Yes, this was definitely a time when InuYasha missed the numb of his fifty-year seal.


	10. Epiphany: Making Amends

The first sign that showed Miroku, Sango and Shippou that something was wrong was InuYasha's refusal to partake in breakfast. Normally, the hanyou would have devoured his share-and then some-of food, but today he snapped irritably when Shippou, a large portion of food in tow, approached the trunk of the tree he'd been resting in since he had returned from his 'outing' the night before, Kagome in tow. The sleepy group had stared in confusion as InuYasha pushed Kagome to the ground (not hard, of course) before jumping into the aforementioned tree.

"Houshi-sama," Sango murmured as she poked the remnants of a small boar she had successfully killed and roasted that morning. "What do you think is wrong with InuYasha?"

Miroku looked from Sango's concerned face to the tree that Shippou was circling, trying hard to find a low branch while still holding InuYasha's portion of the boar, to Kagome, who was sitting at the easternmost edge of the camp, hands in her lap, looking at anything that wasn't the group sitting in front of the boar.

"Maybe," he said slowly, eyes moving back to the fire as he spoke, "Maybe Kagome-sama's..._condition_...has hurt him more deeply than we can see. Remember, Kagome-sama is very important to InuYasha, and she hasn't really shown much improvement since InuYasha brought her here."

"She seemed to remember Kikyou's name, though," Sango pointed out.

"Maybe she did, and maybe she didn't. All we can do at this point is show her friendship and hope for the best." Even as he spoke, Miroku fervently hoped that Kagome _would _begin to show signs of improvement, signs that she was at least beginning to trust them a little bit. Maybe, when she had started trusting them, she would _remember _them.

_'You need to remember us, Kagome-sama,' _the houshi thought, slanting a glance over at the miko who was staring at the distant sky, an unreadable expression on her face. _'Not just for our sake, but for InuYasha's sake, for your family back on the other side of the well's sake, and, I fear, the world's sake, as well.'_

* * *

><p>InuYasha listened to Miroku and Sango's brief conversation with only a vague sense of what they were actually saying. Most of his mind was still aching with the...<em>discussion <em>he and Kagome'd had the night before. When Miroku said _"Kagome's condition has hurt him more deeply than we can see" _InuYasha had let out a small snort of wry amusement.

_'You don't know the truth of it, bouzou,' _he thought, clutching his Tetsusaiga like a small child might clutch a favorite toy.

What Kagome had said last night...about not wanting to give him another chance...those words had cut deeper into his soul than he thought it was possible to go. The fact that she didn't know what she was doing did not lessen the pain, as one would think it would. In fact, it made the hanyou's heart ache all the more to know that Kagome didn't know what she _meant _to him...what her hastily screeched words had _done _to him...

For the fifth time that morning, InuYasha's eyes unwillingly went to Kagome, who was sitting with her back to his tree. Ever since he had brought her back from her little _'outing' _in the forest, she had been avoiding him like the plague. Kagome did avoid him sometimes, but it was never like this. _Never _did she sit with her back to him, her face averted like she would die if she so much as looked at him. But there she was, her back facing his tree, her hair blowing almost tauntingly in the breeze as she looked at something only she could see.

Snorting weakly, the hanyou turned his face away from her. Just looking at her made the horrible sentence come back to him in a thundering wave.

_"I don't __**want **__to give you a chance, you monster!"_

Worse still was that one statement Miroku had stated-_casually, _which made it all the worse for InuYasha: _"If the memory loss goes deep enough for her to forget her love for you, then maybe it wasn't as deep as we thought it was."_

Kami, he thought he had felt the height of pain after he'd woken from his fifty year seal and had come to terms with the fact that Kikyou had sealed him to the Goshinboku after her 'betrayal.' But that pain was a mere shadow, a laughable _joke _compared to the hurt he was feeling now. The thought that whatever Kagome felt for him was so shallow that Naraku's memory loss whatever-it-was had wiped it from her mind hurt him, to use Miroku's words, 'more deeply than we can see.'

_'Not only that, but she trusted that mother fucker, even though HE was the one who kidnapped her and put that...that...whatever-it-was on her! Kami dammit, HOW could she trust __**Naraku**__?' _InuYasha howled internally, teeth gnashing together so hard that it actually hurt. _'What the FUCK could he do that would make him look like the fuckin' good guy?'_

The short flare of anger faded as abruptly as it had come to him, receding into the darkness of the hanyou's depression as he sighed and leaned back against the tree. His eyes went to her back again, unwillingly studying the soft lines of her shoulders as she continued to study the sky.

_'What could he have done that could have made her choose him over us...over __**me**__?'_

* * *

><p>Kagome toyed with some of the grass that was growing beneath her folded legs as she tried hard to ignore the sensation that had been plaguing her since she had woken up that morning.<p>

_'He's staring at me again,' _she thought, trying hard not to shiver as she fixated her gaze on the sky overhead. _'Why? What is that hanyou after?'_

Ever since that rather unpleasant confrontation in the woods, Kagome had been thinking about InuYasha's reaction to what she had said...about Naraku's involvement with her memory loss.

_'The look on his face,' _she thought, repressing another shudder, _'He wanted to kill Naraku then...I know he did.' _Her brow furrowed slightly as her mind went down the same circular path it had been running around all night.

_'Did Naraku do something to anger him? That's probably not too hard to do...he does seem to have a bit of a temper.' _Kagome resisted the urge to turn around and study the hanyou as she thought about the reasons for his reaction to her words last night. _'But even a little thing like angering someone isn't a reason to want to kill them. So...does it go deeper than just a few insults and lost battles? Is there really a reason so terrible as to warrant death? And, if there is, could Naraku be capable of doing it?'_

Kagome thought back to when she had first woken up after she'd lost her memory, thinking hard about Naraku; about the cold glint in his red eyes, the smug superiority in his smirk, the eerily confidant way he'd held himself...like there was nothing and nobody that could get in his way...

_'Yes,' _she realized; well, not really realized...more like _remembered, _like she had always known_-'Naraku is capable of doing great evils. I was just too frightened and confused by what had happened to me that I was willing to overlook the obvious for personal comfort.'_

_'So, I've determined that Naraku is probably capable of great atrocities...so where does that leave me?' _the miko wondered. _'I still don't really know if I can trust these people. They won't tell me __**anything**__. Is it because __**they **__don't trust __**me**__? Or...'_

Following on the heels of her previous realization came another epiphany: these people _knew who she was. _And if they did, wouldn't it be hard for them to accept that she didn't know them now? Kagome knew that if one of her friends had lost their memories, she would find it hard to believe that they weren't still the same person that they had been before losing their memories.

With that epiphany fresh in her mind, Kagome made her decision. _'If I want to find out who I am, I should go with the people who know me. They might want to kill me, but then again, they might not. It's better for me to try than to never know who I really was for the rest of my life.'_

With all that mess out of the way, Kagome's mind turned down the _other _avenue it had been stuck on; what she was to the hanyou currently staring at her back.

_'Thinking back now,' _she thought, _'he's had several opportunities to kill me...some more convenient than others. Each time, though, he __**hasn't **__killed me. I think...in his own way...he's trying to be nice to me. Not only that, but when I said I didn't want to give him a chance last night...he looked at me like I had just slapped him, or something. Then he looked...I don't know; hurt, maybe?'_

Kagome shook her head and slapped her cheeks. _'Oh, well, I can figure that out later. What's important is that I've decided to trust these people, and come hell or high water, I'm gonna figure out who I am.'_

Just as that thought ran through her head, the houshi looked over at her and asked, in a loud voice so she could hear him, "Don't you want to eat anything, Kagome-sama?"

Kagome stiffened slightly, but then relaxed as she reminded herself of her epiphany. _'They might not want to kill me...and they were kind to me, even though I wasn't exactly civil to them.' _A trickle of shame ran through her soul as she smiled at Miroku before getting up and heading over to the fireside.

_'I...I think that, whoever I am...I'm a nice person. I am not mean on purpose, and I trust people if I think they're friendly. I won't try to be standoffish anymore,' _she told herself resolutely, _'I'm going to go to them, apologize and agree to go with them; no matter what the cost will entail later.'_

Kagome settled quietly into a sitting position beside Miroku, who smiled widely at her before handing her a strip of meat. "That's the spirit, Kagome-sama," he told her, looking quite pleased with himself. The warm glow in his amethyst eyes made Kagome's timid smile become wider as she accepted the strip of meat.

"Thank you," she said as she took a small bite out of the tender boar flesh. "It's really good."

Sango smiled as well, the concern in her eyes dimming behind a curtain of relief as she took in her friend's appearance: the fear in Kagome's eyes had dimmed somewhat, replaced by a more familiar, if still off-kilter, kindness. The smile on her face was one that Sango had not seen in almost a month, and the sight of it almost drove tears to the eyes of the youkai taijiya.

_'Maybe her memory isn't back yet,' _she thought, _'but it looks like Kagome-chan has decided to trust us again.'_

The group waited until Kagome had consumed the strip of boar before asking the questions that had been bottled up inside of them since the morning had dawned.

"Kagome-chan...have you decided that we aren't going to hurt you?" Sango asked, her voice almost hesitant. Kirara, who was sitting beside her, mewed as she fixed her bright red eyes on Kagome's face. Shippou also stared at her, his emerald eyes intent on her face.

"Not exactly," Kagome admitted. "However, I've decided that if it'll help me get my memory back, I'll tag along with you guys, and take all the good and bad that comes along the way. If you trust me, then I'll trust you...for the time being. Which reminds me-"

Here Kagome looked at her hands, hiding her eyes behind her bangs.

"-Gomennasai for...for last night. I know you guys have been trying to reason with me and have been showing me incredible kindness, but I was too...too _blind_ to see it. Maybe it's because you want to kill me, but then again, maybe it isn't. Maybe I _am _your long-lost friend who has miraculously reappeared. I don't know, so I won't assume the worst any more. And...and I won't trust what _he _says any more." Kagome let out a long sigh as her little speech came to its conclusion.

"You don't have to apologize!" Miroku exclaimed. "It was perfectly understandable that you acted the way you did; you were confused and frightened. We in no way hold that against you, Kagome-sama."

"Yeah, we know InuYasha practically kidnapped you from that inn!" Shippou added in eagerly.

Kagome looked at him, a blank look on her face. "Inu-Ya-Sha?" she spelled out, sounding confused. "Oh-is that _his _name?" As she spoke, Kagome pointed to the tree where InuYasha was sitting.

Miroku flinched slightly. _'Ouch. I do not think I want to be InuYasha right now.'_

"Oh, Kami-we forgot to tell you our names!" Sango realized, her eyes quickly becoming ashamed. "We-"

"I know," Kagome interrupted. "Since I knew you before I lost my memory, you just assumed that I knew your names."

Miroku wasted no time making introductions after that. "My name is Miroku," he said. "The lovely lady over there is Sango," he pointed to the taijiya, "the kitsune is Shippou," he gestured to the kit, "the nekomata is Kirara," he stroked the fur between the fire-cat's ears, "and...as you are probably already aware...our hanyou companion currently roosting in the tree is InuYasha."

Kagome sat in silence for a few seconds, looking carefully at each person in turn as she committed their names to memory.

_'Miroku...Sango...Shippou...Kirara...'_

Her eyes turned to the tree where she knew the hanyou was sitting.

_'...Inu...Yasha...'_

Why did those names sound so familiar...?

"...It's nice to meet you," Kagome finally said, her smile still firmly fixed in place. "I hope I remember who you all are."

Then, Kagome got up from where she had been sitting, and slowly made her way to the tree where InuYasha was sitting.

All actions by the fireside immediately ceased as houshi, taijiya, kitsune and nekomata focused their attentions on Kagome, watching her as she placed a palm on the trunk of the tree, her eyes moving until they were fixated on the darkness of the upper branches.

"Um...InuYasha-san?" she called, her voice hesitant.

There was a beat of silence. Nothing moved. Nothing breathed.

"What the fuck d'you want?" came the reply.

"I...I just wanted to say that I was sorry," Kagome said softly. She took her hand off the trunk of the tree and backed up a few paces, still keeping her eyes fixed to the place where she knew the hanyou was.

There was a pause, then a creaking sound could be heard. Kagome caught a flash of gold winking amidst the dark branches. InuYasha must have leaned forward so that he could see her properly. She fixed her gaze onto the gold flash, willing herself to do this.

"What the fuck are _you _sorry for?" InuYasha asked rudely, though his eyes and his words did not match, if Kagome thought she was reading them correctly.

"I'm sorry for what I said last night," she replied, ignoring the rudeness of his previous statement. "I...I don't really believe that...I..." Kagome swallowed as a lump moved into her throat. The seriousness of what she had said was now descending on her shoulders.

_'Kami...I hurt him last night when I said that, didn't I? It was cruel of me to not say that I would give him a chance. Don't all creatures want a chance, no matter who, what or where they are?' _

Kagome swallowed again, blinking back the tears that threatened to spring into her eyes as she took a deep breath before speaking again. "I...I want to take back what I said last night," she told him. "I'll give you a chance. I _want _to give you a chance. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for what I said last night...I was cruel, whether I meant to be or not, and I apologize. Now, will you come down from there? Your friends have some food for you, and it's probably all cold now."

The silence that fell on the clearing after that was thicker than congealed blood. Miroku, Sango, Shippou and even Kirara were waiting with bated breath, hoping against hope that this meant that Kagome was remembering, if only slightly, the love she felt for InuYasha. Or, at least, the enormous amount of trust she put in him.

They were also waiting to see what InuYasha's reaction to Kagome's apology would be.

For a few fateful seconds, nothing happened. Kagome's eyes filled with tears as she slowly turned away from the tree, sniffling slightly as she wiped her eyes on her sleeve.

_'Why am I so sad?' _she wondered.

Before she could figure the reason for her sudden sorrow out, a soft _whoosh _sounded from behind her, followed by a sharp intake of breath. Kagome whirled about, her hair forming a black halo around her head as she tried to see what had happened.

InuYasha looked back at her, his golden eyes shielded. He was standing at the foot of the tree, having just jumped out of it. His red-clad arms were crossed, his face set in a fierce glower. All the same, Kagome was glad that he had heeded her words.

"Thank you," she told him. "And I'm so sorry. You deserve better."

She didn't know why she had said that last statement, but Kagome knew it was true.

InuYasha's stance did not change, but his golden eyes softened somewhat.

"Whatever," he scoffed before turning away and sitting down beside the fire, seizing his portion of the boar and sinking his fangs into it with great gusto.

The others looked at each other, bewildered smiles slowly sliding into place on their faces.

Even if Kagome didn't remember them, it seemed that she could still do her peacemaker thing just fine.


	11. Starting Over

Following Kagome's short apology speech, the clearing was relatively quiet. No-one was willing to break the silence to start talking about the bleak future ahead of them. But there was no way the peace would last for long; and so, it was the houshi who breached the topic first.

"I think it would be best for us to leave soon," Miroku stated as the fire consumed the last of the boar's bones. When no-one ventured forth to argue with the houshi's statement, he continued. "The morning is late enough already without us sitting around doing nothing. If we are to find a cure for Kagome-sama's lost memory, we'd best start looking for Naraku again."

Sango nodded. "Hai. Naraku will have all the answers."

InuYasha snorted. "Like that guy would give any answers to _us._ He'd probably laugh in our faces if we tried to ask him. _If _we even _find _him."

"He did seem like the kind of person who would resort to...alternative methods," Kagome murmured, her eyes averted from everyone's faces. She didn't want to see the looks on their faces when they realized that she knew who they were talking about.

As predicted, everyone but InuYasha turned toward her, their eyes incredulous.

"Are you saying...you remember him, Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked, eyebrows raised.

"N-not really," Kagome stammered, slinking back now. "I...he was there when I first woke up. He...he...was...he was..."

"He was the one who told you we were out to kill you," Miroku finished for her, his eyes becoming grave.

Kagome nodded. Miroku gave her another nod in return, his eyes sad now. "I thought that was what you meant when you said 'I won't trust what 'he' says any more."

Sango gasped, although no words left her lips. Shippou gave a small cry as Kirara growled low in her throat. Kagome, meanwhile, was looking very submissive as she continued her slow retreat, but stopped when InuYasha gave a soft, but stern,growl.

"Gomen," she muttered. "I-I...I was so confused after I first woke up. That man you call Naraku...he gave me the only logic and reason I could follow in this new life of mine. I didn't know whether or not I could trust him, but..." Kagome tailed off, her cheeks turning red as she retreated some more.

_'Like they would believe that weak statement,' _she told herself. _'That was about as convincing as a fish with wings.'_

Then, very vividly, InuYasha's words from the night before came back to her, ringing with the emotion that she had labeled betrayal.

_"You trusted him, but you don't trust me."_

Would these people see her as an accomplice of Naraku, someone who they would consider an enemy? And if so, what would they do? Kill her?

_'No-that's not fair,' _Kagome chided herself. _'I told myself I would give them a chance; and that's what I'm going to do.'_

Miroku gave Kagome his warmest smile, accompanied by the perverted glint in his eyes. "Fear not, Kagome-sama," he said, reaching out to clasp her hand in both of his. "We have not lost faith in you. We know you were afraid and confused, and that's why you listened to Naraku while you were in his...care." Kagome gave Miroku a weak smile, but secretly wondered why his hands were slowly rubbing hers.

"Hands off, bouzou," InuYasha growled, knocking Miroku's hands aside with a swipe of his hand. "You wanna get on her _good _side, right?"

Miroku gave InuYasha his best wide-eyed-playing-innocent look, his eyebrows raising as he said with an almost amused air, "Why, InuYasha, do you have a reason to doubt my honorable intentions?" He did, however, release Kagome's hand. The girl in question was looking from InuYasha to Miroku with a deepening expression of confusion on her face.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Don't ask," InuYasha replied, giving a quelling glare to the houshi, who took it in his stride, although it made Kagome shiver slightly.

Sango decided that it was time to direct the conversation back to its original topic, so she asked, "If finding Naraku doesn't work, then what will?"

The men turned to look at her. Miroku lifted his cursed hand and rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his amethyst eyes gazing unseeingly into the morning sky.

"Hmm...what would one normally do for someone with Kagome-sama's condition?" he mumbled, almost to himself.

"My papa always said that if someone lost themselves, they would find their true selves if they waited long enough," Shippou proffered, his poofy tail twitching slightly as he bounced restlessly up and down on the log he was perched upon.

"We don't _have _time, baka!" InuYasha growled, his fist flying down and delivering a blow to the kitsune's head. "If Kagome stays like this for too long, it could cause serious problems-for _her _and _us_."

Shippou rubbed the knot on his head, gnawing on his lip as tears sprang into his eyes. However, he refrained from crying out for Kagome to save him. What could she do, when she couldn't remember that she alone held the power to bring InuYasha to his knees?

"InuYasha, that's enough," Miroku chided, his eyes narrowing into a glare. "Losing your temper every time someone suggests something you don't like isn't going to help anyone."

InuYasha flushed bright red, but didn't say anything, opting to give a 'Feh!' and turn toward the treeline.

"Well..._my _chichi-ue always said that a strong shock could sometimes return memories," Sango suggested. "Do you think something like that would work?"

"I don't know," Miroku admitted, rising to his feet, his Shakujou in hand. "Maybe it will, but since we don't know what caused Kagome-sama to lose her memory, these ideas are all shots in the dark. Until we find out what caused her memory loss, we will have to do our best and stumble along until we find something." Miroku then turned to Kagome, a small smile on his face as he proffered his cursed hand to her. "If you trust us enough to travel with us, will you accompany us as we attempt to unravel this mystery? We promise not to hurt you."

Kagome looked at the houshi's hand, then her eyes slowly flicked from one member of the group to the next. "You really promise not to hurt me?"

Miroku nodded. "I promise."

"I promise," Sango echoed.

"I'll protect you, Kagome!" Shippou exclaimed as he started bouncing again.

Kirara mewed.

InuYasha gave a 'Feh.'

Kagome looked at him. "Do you promise, too?"

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled.

Kagome thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded. "Okay." She reached out and slowly took Miroku's hand. The houshi beamed at her as he gently lifted her from the ground.

"Since we've gotten that all sorted out, shall we proceed?" he asked of the group.

"Hai. It's already mid-morning. We don't want to waste any more time," Sango agreed.

Miroku headed over to Sango so that he could help her pack up the camp. Kagome looked around, trying to see if there was anything she could do to help, and caught sight of a large yellow bag she hadn't seen before.

"Whose bag is that?" she asked, pointing to the article in question.

Everybody in the group turned to look at what she was pointing at. Their eyes became sad. (Well, the eyes of those she could see; as soon as InuYasha had seen what Kagome was pointing at, he had turned away again.)

"That is..._your _bag, Kagome-sama," Miroku said gently.

"My...bag?"

Kagome's brain seemed to have short-circuited.

_Her _bag? As in, the bag that she owned? And here she'd been thinking that she had nothing to her name, nothing to show who and what she was!

_'It could show me my past, maybe even...jog my memories a bit,' _she thought.

Sango got up from where she had been crouching and headed over to the bag. Hefting it by one strap, she offered it to Kagome. "Would you like to look inside it, Kagome-chan?"

Kagome looked at the bag. Suddenly, the beaten yellow satchel seemed more daunting than it had while it had just been sitting there.

What if there were things in her past that she didn't _want _to remember? She hadn't forgotten how the name 'Kikyou' had hurt her so much, or the betrayed look on InuYasha's face last night. The bag would surely be a blast-in-the-face sort of therapy, and Kagome shied away from the one thing that could tell her who she was.

"No thank you," Kagome whispered, backing slowly away from the bag as if it possessed fangs and claws. "I...I think I'll wait for a while."

Sango nodded sympathetically. InuYasha, however, was in no mood for sympathy.

"Just show her what's in the fuckin' bag already!" he snapped, leaping forward and snatching the bag away from Sango. Kagome gave a tiny gasp as she backed away. That hanyou moved so _fast..._

"Baka!" Sango shouted back, her hand lashing out and seizing the strap opposite the one InuYasha was holding. "She said she didn't want to!"

"But she _has _to!" InuYasha barked back, yanking on the strap he was holding, something akin to a frantic look sparkling deep in his golden irises. "_She has to remember who she fuckin' is!_"

"I agree, she does have to remember," Sango replied, "but that doesn't mean we can _force _her to remember! For Kami's sake, that would probably cause more damage than good, InuYasha!"

InuYasha growled back, not even bothering with words as he yanked insistently on the strap again.

"That's enough, you two!" Miroku snapped, his usually cool eyes brimming with brilliant purple fire as he strode between the taijiya and the hanyou, using his hands to shove them apart, though with Sango he was more gentle. "Need I remind you of the image you are presenting to our lady friend over there?"

Instantly, the pair looked ashamed and embarrassed; Sango's teeth started worrying her lip as InuYasha's ears drooped. Cheeks flushed, they both slanted a glance toward Kagome, and were almost glad to see Shippou chattering animatedly to her, bouncing up and down as he obviously reenacted one of his favorite stories for her. Kagome was smiling as she watched the kit perform flips and cartwheels in his excitement.

"Let's just continue getting our things ready for the road ahead of us. We can work on getting Kagome-sama's memory back later, okay?" With that, Miroku put his hand on Sango's shoulder and gently steered her toward the unfinished packing job they had left. From the twitching in the houshi's fingers, InuYasha guessed that the hentai wanted his hand to be much lower. _'Baka hentai houshi,' _InuYasha snorted internally.

Then, slowly, hesitantly, he headed over to Kagome, making sure to keep his movements slow, so as not to startle her.

Kagome looked up, brown eyes squinted against the glare of the sun as InuYasha made his slow and slightly noisy way toward her. Upon seeing the hanyou approaching her, Kagome's entire body stiffened slightly, her eyes becoming wary.

InuYasha stopped moving toward her. His hand clenched into a fist at his side.

"So you still don't trust me?" he hissed, telling himself that the burning sensation in his chest was anger, and not _anything _else.

"I...I'm trying to," she murmured, her body relaxing slightly as her eyes met his. "But...you can't imagine how hard this is; trusting someone when you don't know what they are to you, what their position in your life is. Especially when I spent a few weeks thinking you were the one who wanted me dead above all others."

Now it was InuYasha who stiffened, his fangs flashing in a reflexively defensive move. Kagome tried hard not to wince at the sight of him looking so savage, but it was a very near thing. _'Scary,' _she thought, feeling sweat pricking the back of her neck.

"I would _NEVER _want to kill you!" he hissed, ears flattening to his head. Slowly, the hanyou lifted his hand, flexing his claws so they glinted in the morning light. Kagome swallowed as she looked at the five instruments of death tipping each of his fingers.

"These claws," he continued, eyes glinting with a strange light, "can _never _kill you."

Kagome felt a light blush dust her cheeks at InuYasha's serious tone and shining eyes. She turned away, hiding her face from those brilliant golden eyes. _'What...is he after?' _she wondered.

Then, Shippou bounded up and landed on her shoulder, shouting, "Kagome! Sango wants to know if you want to ride with her and Kirara!"

Kagome shrieked as though a youkai had bounded out of the forest and snarled at her. She leaped backward, flinging her hands over her face. Both InuYasha and Shippou leaped back reflexively at the sound of her scream, identical expressions of shock on their faces.

"Y-y-you s-s-scared me," she stuttered, her entire body trembling as she attempted to blend into the ground.

"_We _scared _you_?" InuYasha asked incredulously, ears flattened to his head again, though this time from shock.

About that time, Sango rushed over to see what had happened.

"Kagome-chan, are you all right?" she asked concernedly.

"Y-yeah," she stammered, rising slowly from the ground and cringing to the taijiya's side. "I-I was just s-startled, that's all."

"Okay, then," Sango said, eying InuYasha with a suspicious glare. "Did Shippou deliver my message?"

Kagome nodded.

"So, what do you think? Would you like to ride on Kirara with me? I promise we won't go too fast, Kagome-chan." Sango ignored the growl that came from InuYasha as he listened to her offer.

"Um...I...I think so. Yeah, I'll ride with you," Kagome replied, her voice becoming more confident as the seconds passed.

Sango nodded. "Okay, Kagome-chan."

The taijiya seized her friend's elbow and steered her toward her nekomata, aware that the hanyou was glaring jealously at her back all the way.


	12. On the Road Again

The journey the group started from the forest clearing had to be the longest few hours they had ever spent traveling since they had started the hunt for Naraku and the shards. InuYasha and Miroku ran beneath Kirara, who soared above the treetops, Sango, Shippou and Kagome resting upon her back. Both InuYasha and Miroku were in a bad mood, since neither of them could be with the woman of their choice because of Kagome's memory loss, and both of them were loath to spend their traveling time with another man, rather than the women soaring overhead.

As for Sango, she and Shippou had their hands full keeping Kagome from going into hysterics. The girl was so frightened by the experience of flying on Kirara that it was all she could do to hang on to the nekomata's fur without curling up into a little ball. Kagome's breath was coming in faster and faster gulps, each breath shallower than the one before it.

"We have to stop soon," Sango shouted to the men who were running several feet in front of Kirara. "Kagome-chan won't take much more of this!"

"Tell her to get a fuckin' grip!" InuYasha shouted, though his voice sounded more concerned than angry, and he flicked a glance back at the flying cat.

"Inu_Yasha,_" Sango growled, much like the way Kagome used to when she was about to 'osuwari' his face into the ground, "If we don't stop soon, Kagome-chan could faint and fall off Kirara!"

When she said that, InuYasha slowed his pace until he was right next to the firecat, his face now alight with concern. Now that he could see her, the hanyou noticed that the miko's breath was coming in short, uneasy gasps, sweat beading on her brow as her pupils dilated rapidly. Kagome did look very faint, and he would bet his dinner that the flying nekomata scared her about as much as...well, _he _did.

"Dammit," InuYasha growled, "Why didn't ya fuckin' tell me _sooner?_"

"I wasn't as worried about her earlier," Sango replied waspishly, her eyebrows beetling over her serious brown eyes as one hand kept a not so steady grip on Kagome's upper arm. "I thought she would shake it off, but I guess her body is just refusing to adjust to Kirara."

"Sango! Sango! She's gonna fall!" Shippou squealed at that moment, just as his tiny paws lost the grip he had on Kagome's kimono. Sango's grip, already shaky, couldn't deal with Kagome's dead weight while she kept herself steady on Kirara. In short, Kagome tumbled off Kirara and fell to the ground, practically senseless.

Or, she would have fallen to the ground if InuYasha hadn't leaped forward and caught her at the last second, cushioning her fall with his body. Kagome lay in InuYasha's arms, unconscious, her brow furrowed as whatever haunted her in the world of dreams returned to her.

"Dammit to Hell," the hanyou growled, shifting the unconscious girl to his back. "I hope we find out what that bastard Naraku did to her fast so we can find out how to undo this...this..." InuYasha trailed off, unable to think of a word to describe Kagome's 'condition.'

Miroku, who had noticed that the others had started slowing down some time ago, slacked off on speed until he was reunited with the rest of the group. Having heard InuYasha's previous statement, the houshi offered his condolences by saying, "We will find a cure for whatever ails Kagome-sama, my friend." The houshi's violet gaze moved from InuYasha's frustrated face to Kagome's much too pale, sweat-beaded one. "We _will _find one."

Shippou nodded in agreement. "We won't give up!"

Sango reached out a hand to ruffle Shippou's hair. "I agree, Shippou-chan. Giving up on Kagome-chan at this point would be like admitting that she's gone forever. I know the real Kagome is underneath whatever thing Naraku has done to her. I don't know if it's a spell or shock or whatever, but I'm sure with enough time and efforts, we'll find Kagome-chan."

InuYasha turned away, hiding the pleasure he felt at his friends' enthusiastic response behind a "Feh!" then added, "Let's get goin'. I don't wanna stay out in the open for too long."

As the group resumed their breakneck pace, InuYasha couldn't help feeling a small sense of contentment as he felt Kagome shift around on his back. He would never admit it, of course, but he rather liked the feel of Kagome riding on his back. This past month had weighed more heavily on him than he was ready to admit. Oh, he knew he had gone crazy when Kagome had vanished, grating on his friends' nerves and wearing them down to the bone with his endless searching and tireless trekking across Nippon. Kagome had been an essential part of the hanyou's life ever since she had pulled out the arrow that had bound him to the sacred Goshinboku tree for fifty years and set the wheel of their fates in motion. In the beginning, he had denied it, simply because she looked like Kikyou and the sting of her betrayal had burned his heart more thoroughly than anything else in his miserable existence. But, slowly, Kagome had soothed his wounds and let him get to know her, and in turn, he told her more about himself than he had told any other person, Kikyou included.

The fact that the person who had healed him and given him a reason to _live _had been taken away from him didn't just infuriate the hanyou, it also made him very depressed. InuYasha would give his _life _for Kagome, and she now thought him capable of murdering her in cold blood? Impossible! Unthinkable! The idea of it made InuYasha's hackles rise up, a small growl rattling in his throat like a caged animal as his arms tightened about the unconscious woman on his back.

_'I'm gonna find you, Naraku,' _he vowed to himself, _'An' if we can't find a way to put Kagome right without you...then we'll just haveta pry the answers outta you.'_

* * *

><p>The group arrived in a small village just before sunset. The few people still milling about outside regarded the odd-looking group with sideways glances and whispered to each other.<p>

"Are you sure we wanna stop here, bouzou?" InuYasha hissed to Miroku, glaring back at the passers-by and drawing Kagome (who was still unconscious) closer to him.

"I'm sure we can..._convince _them to give us some accommodations," Miroku replied, his amethyst gaze falling upon the large hut overlooking the rest of the village.

"You aren't thinking about scamming these poor people, are you, houshi?" Sango asked sweetly, brandishing her Hiraikotsu in what she thought was a nonchalant manner. Miroku visibly flinched, but said nothing.

Shippou shook his head and shrugged his tiny shoulders. "Never changes," he stated solemnly. Kirara, who was walking beside him in her tiny cat form, mewed in agreement.

Miroku ignored this and began mingling with the crowd, his eyes darting from left to right with the ease of a practiced scammer, searching for the likely owner of the house on the hill. (Or, a nice young female that looked like a likely candidate for the mother of his child.) The others trailed behind him, expressions ranging from exasperation to anger decorating their faces.

As Miroku continued searching for his next target, Kagome began to stir, her body moving uneasily on InuYasha's back.

"Whuzgoinon?" she asked, her voice slurred and confused. "Whashappenin?"

Then, she realized where she was and who was holding her.

Flashing to full alertness in a split second, Kagome started to freak out, thinking that InuYasha was going to try to hurt her again. "Put me down!" Kagome cried, her body stiffening as she pushed against the hanyou's back. "You won't take me away-_put me down!_"

Kagome's cries got a lot of suspicious looks from the passing villagers, many of whom glared at InuYasha, muttering darkly to one another.

"Alright, alright, I'm putting you down!" InuYasha growled, grunting with pain as Kagome's hands shoved none too gently against his back. Unwillingly, his hands came out from underneath Kagome's legs, and she sprang away from him, ducking quickly behind Sango, peering out at him with frightened brown eyes. InuYasha flinched, feeling the force of her gaze all the way down to his scarred heart.

"You fainted and fell off Kirara, Kagome-chan," Sango told her soothingly. "InuYasha caught you and carried you here."

Kagome blinked slowly, absorbing the new information.

"Arigato," she said, a little stiffly. "But can you _please _just leave me alone?"

A light whine left the hanyou's throat as his ears dropped down flat to his scalp. InuYasha looked away, as if he were a puppy that had just been hit because he had done something wrong. "Whatever," he finally managed, the word coming out in a mangled rush.

Miroku came back out of the crowd at that moment, his face disappointed. "I did not manage to find the headman of this village," he said, though his voice wasn't as disappointed as his face. "The villagers say that he is...away at the moment, though no-one will say why he's gone."

"Is that all?" Sango asked tersely.

"Whatever do you mean, dear Sango?" Miroku replied, his eyes flashing with faked innocence.

"You're _really _disappointed because there's no sign of any young ladies here..._right_?" Sango snarled, the hand holding her Hiraikotsu tightening into a white-knuckled fist. Her brown eyes crackled with annoyance as she spoke.

The rest of the group sensed the impending fight between the taijiya and the houshi. Shippou gulped and ducked for cover behind a nearby bench. Kirara soon followed after him. InuYasha wasn't really paying any attention to the couple, since he had his own problems to deal with.

Kagome, however, saw the danger in Sango's eyes, gave a small 'eep' and darted away, unconsciously taking advantage of both InuYasha and Sango's distractions to blend into the crowd surrounding them. Shippou saw her run away from his hiding place and darted after her, ignoring the sounds of the houshi's yelps and the taijiya's shouts as he followed after his mother-figure, Kirara hot on his heels.

The fight lasted for about fifteen minutes before the houshi acknowledged that it would be best to surrender now. He was crouching down, Shakujou held over his head to provide some means of protection to the besieged pervert. Sango was huffing and blowing like a winded elephant, her face a bright red as she held the Hiraikotsu over her head, ready for another blow. Miroku, desperate to find something to distract Sango with, finally noticed that half of their group was missing.

"Wait! Kagome-sama has vanished!" Miroku cried.

"I'm not falling for it, houshi," Sango grated out, delivering another blow to Miroku's scalp. "You're just saying that to make me turn around so you can have a chance to escape!"

"No, she's _really _gone! OW!" Miroku yelped as Sango fell mercilessly upon him again.

However, the houshi's words had managed to rouse InuYasha from his temporary stupor. The hanyou cast his gaze about for any sign of Kagome. When he found none, he cursed himself for taking his eyes off her for even a second.

"Kami fuckin' dammit!" he yowled to no-one in particular, right before he took off in the direction of Kagome's scent. "Fuckin' wench _promised, _dammit! She promised not to do this again..." the sentence trailed off into thin air as the hanyou pursued the scent of Kagome through the winding huts of the village, ignoring the sounds of the squabble behind him as he chased after Kagome.

* * *

><p>Kagome put her hand on the base of a nearby tree-trunk. She had ran flat-out to the village's farmlands, putting as much distance between herself and the quarreling group as possible. There weren't as many people here as there was in the main body of the village, resulting in a serene, mind-clearing quiet. Kagome breathed heavily, sweat dripping down her bangs as she fought to regain her breath.<p>

"Kagome! What are you doing?"

Shippou bounded up onto Kagome's shoulder, his tiny paws patting her face and the crown of her head as he gazed into her eyes, concern lighting his emerald gaze. Kirara wrapped herself around Kagome's ankles, purring softly.

"Just leave me alone. You're all completely and utterly crazy," Kagome wheezed. "Take...take me back to Kyoto. Take me back to Ichigawa's. I never should have let myself get involved in this madness. Take me back to the others."

Alarm flashed in the depths of the kit's gaze as he realized what Kagome was saying. "No, Kagome! You can't leave us!" he cried, tears beading at the corners of his eyes. "You belong _here_-with _us_! Didn't you say you'd stay with us?"

Kagome feebly shook her head. "I...I just don't know any more. You people fight so easily, distrust each other so much...how do I know you aren't lying to me?"

Shippou looked confused for a split second, then inspiration seemed to strike him. "But don't _all _people fight sometimes? My papa always told me that people who don't fight are the ones who have the most problems." The kit fixed Kagome with a solemn gaze as he asked, "Didn't you promise us that you would try to trust us, Kagome? Why don't you trust us like we trust you?"

Kagome fixed Shippou with a bemused stare. Her mouth worked, but no words came out.

Shippou was warming to his topic now, his tail wiggling slightly as he jumped up onto Kagome's head. "The only reason Sango beats Miroku up is because he's a hentai who likes to scam people. You'd hit him, too, except you don't, mainly cuz you're in charge of keeping a handle on InuYasha."

"That...that hanyou?" Kagome finally managed to say. "But...he's so much stronger than I am...and so scary, too. How...how could I possibly hope to control him?"

Before Shippou could answer, Kagome felt the hair on the nape of her neck stand on end. She knew in an instant who was coming for her. She turned and tried not to look as terrified as she felt. On her shoulder, Shippou gave a small squeak and darted off into the bushes, eager to not get caught in the crossfire. Kirara gave a small growl, but stayed where she was. She would see this through to the bitter end (not to mention make sure a certain hanyou didn't push things too far).

InuYasha jumped one last time, landing neatly beside Kagome as he finally caught up with them.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he hissed, ears flat against his head as he glared at her. "I thought you promised you weren't going to run away anymore!"

For a few seconds, Kagome just stared at him, shocked. That feral look he was giving her was just so...so...

Kagome looked at him, her eyes narrowing. To be frank, she was quite sick and tired of the hanyou's bad attitude. She knew she was supposed to fear him, but since he wasn't attacking her, something inside her told her standing up to him might not be such a bad idea.

"I was afraid, what did you think I was going to do?" she snapped, rising up to her fullest height, which was still pretty short compared to InuYasha's. "I can run wherever I damn please; you are _not _my keeper, InuYasha-san!"

InuYasha flinched, taken aback by Kagome's outburst. But, Kagome was standing up for herself again, displaying the tough female act she did so well. That didn't mean InuYasha wasn't mad anymore, but it did make him a little better.

"I don't _wanna _be your keeper, and would you stop calling me that?" he barked back.

"What? InuYasha-san?" Kagome said, confusion creeping into her voice. "It's the _polite _thing to do, not that I think you _know _what politeness is, InuYasha-san-"

"I don't _care _if it's polite!" InuYasha roared, rearing up to his full height so that he was towering a good six or seven inches over Kagome, who cowered back, looking intimidated again. "It ain't _right, _Kagome. We've _always _been on informal terms, even back when you first freed me! So do me a favor and drop the 'san!'"

Kagome stared up at him, like a frightened rabbit might gaze into the eyes of a hungry wolf. InuYasha really was quite the terrifying predator when he was angry; his eyes glittered like yellow-hot coals with two jet-black slits set in the middle, lips pulled back to reveal his elongated eyeteeth, ears flattened to his head as a growl reverberated in his throat. The hanyou looked truly feral at that moment, and Kagome knew in that moment that InuYasha would pursue her to the ends of the Earth and beyond if she chose to run from him. She could _feel _the determination in his body; it was very much like a heat wave.

So Kagome sighed and said, "I'm sorry. I won't try to run away again. I don't know what you guys are trying to prove, but I won't run away again."

InuYasha did not look satisfied. "Last time you promised you wouldn't run away again, you ended up doing it anyway. You're gonna haveta _prove _that you won't do it again."

Kagome managed to glare at him as she slowly rose from her submissive position. "What do you want me to do-cut myself and write it in blood?"

InuYasha's ears popped up as his eyes widened in shock. "Fuckin' hell, _no! _You-no, don't even _think _that! I-nothing that-you couldn't-" InuYasha spluttered into silence, watching Kagome with obvious suspicion.

"I was being facetious, InuYasha," Kagome sighed. This 'standing up' thing was getting easier by the minute. She was starting to wonder if it was because she did it in her 'old life.'

"Feh-fa-what?" InuYasha asked, confused.

"'Deliberately inappropriate humor applied in a serious situation,'" Kagome defined for him.

InuYasha cocked his head, regarding the miko with an unreadable stare. "How did you know that, Ka-go-me?" He sounded out each syllable of her name with deliberate slowness, his eyelashes veiling his golden irises.

Kagome blinked. "I...I'm not sure. It...just came to me."

InuYasha didn't say anything; he just stared at her, eyes still completely unreadable. Kagome swallowed and looked away, unsettled by his golden gaze.

Then, Shippou sensed that the argument was over and crawled out of the bushes. "We should probably get back to the others," he announced. "Miroku and Sango are probably pretty worried by now."

InuYasha gave a small start and looked down at the kit. "What?"

"That's probably true, Shippou-chan," Kagome said quietly. She started out, ready to walk back the way she had come. InuYasha scowled slightly, but followed

Shippou, ever the clever kitsune, decided to put forth a suggestion. "Why don't you let InuYasha carry you, Kagome? It'll be faster than walking!"

Kagome stopped moving, as did InuYasha. They stared at each other for a few long seconds before InuYasha spoke.

"Kit's got a point, Kagome," he said, one corner of his mouth kicking up in a shadowy imitation of his favorite smirk. "It _would _be faster."

Kagome visibly paled. She could put on a show of standing up to the hanyou, but what did it matter, when he could shred her to ribbons with barely a flick of his hand?

No, it wasn't really that, Kagome decided. It was the unsettling way he looked at her...like she should _remember _him...but why? What connection did they have in her 'other' life?

But Shippou _did _have a point. InuYasha would make the long walk back to the village last maybe half a minute, reuniting them with the rest of the group in no time at all. Plus, it would help her conserve her strength, seeing as she was still a little wobbly-kneed from her long run and the whole fainting thing.

"Um...okay," she said, surprised at the sudden force her voice had. "Yes. I'll do it."

InuYasha looked just as surprised as she felt. Obviously, the hanyou had expected her to start freaking out again, ranting on about trust and how scary he looked, etc, etc. Then, the parody-smirk that had shadowed his face grew into a half-smile as his golden eyes glowed with obvious satisfaction.

Turning around, InuYasha crouched down, low enough for Kagome to easily mount. "You're not going to regret this, Kagome," he intoned, his eyes reverting back to that same unfathomable expression that had characterized them for the past few hours.

Kagome swallowed, but moved forward and allowed the hanyou to gather her up, his hands grasping her calves as he rose from his crouching position. Kagome closed her eyes, readying herself for the same terror that had been a part of her flight on Kirara.

Then, without any warning, InuYasha darted forth like a racehorse whose gate had just been opened.

It was the strangest feeling. Sitting on his back as he flew through the fields, Kagome couldn't help but feel like she had done this before. The feel of the wind on her skin, the pounding of her heart in her chest, even the billowing strands of InuYasha's moonlight-colored mane that flowed around her face like water around a rock: all of this called to a dormant part of her, a part that she hadn't even sensed until now. The feeling unsettled Kagome. She had _never _felt like this before...like she was only inches away from discovering her lost identity. She certainly hadn't felt like this in Naraku's castle, or in Ichigawa's, for that matter.

Not for the first time Kagome found herself shying away from the unknown part of her that was her true identity. What was it about her that made so many people lust after her? What was her connection to the group that so fiercely resisted Naraku?

Most of all, why did InuYasha keep looking at her like a beaten puppy might look at its tormentor?

Shaking her head, Kagome relaxed against InuYasha's back. She didn't know who she was, but she couldn't deny that there was a familiar comfort in the action of riding on InuYasha's back. She didn't question it, she just accepted it.

* * *

><p>Miroku and Sango met up with InuYasha, Kagome, Shippou and Kirara (who had followed InuYasha and Kagome at a respectful distance) at the edge of the village. Sango had finally calmed down, though the many lumps and bruises Miroku sported told the story of how long the taijiya had been in a rage. The pair eyed Kagome and InuYasha with some curiosity as they approached, though they kept their mouths shut as the miko slowly dismounted.<p>

"Did you find anything?" InuYasha asked skeptically.

"Actually, yes," Miroku said, massaging a particularly large knot on the top of his head. "Once you, Kirara and Shippou had left, the villagers became a little more open about the subject of the missing people. They said a youkai they had never seen or heard of before settled close to their village and started spiriting the young maidens away. Half of them had vanished when the headman decided to intervene. But when he headed out in the direction the missing girls had gone, he vanished as well."

"That sounds...weird," Kagome commented, wishing she knew more about youkai behavior so she could make more of a contribution.

"It's not really that odd," Sango contradicted. "However, the fact that the youkai just settled in is a little bit weird. In my experience, youkai only go after humans once all other available prey sources dry up."

"Feh! Could just be one of those human-hatin' bastards that blow through every once in a while," InuYasha snorted, arms crossing resolutely over his chest.

"Whatever the case may be, we have offered our services to this village," Miroku continued. "They have gladly taken our offer in exchange for a reasonable fee and a room for the night."

Sango nodded. "We should probably start out early in the morning. That's when the girls usually get spirited away, according to the villagers. We'll follow her and strike before the youkai realizes we're there."

InuYasha gave a curt nod, showing his satisfaction with the plan.

"Um...what about me?" Kagome asked. "I...I don't think I'd be of much use to you in a battle."

Everyone looked at her. It was the same look she had been getting ever since InuYasha had abducted her from Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions; the look that clearly said they were surprised by the words coming out of her mouth.

"You...could stay here, if you'd like," Miroku finally said. "I'm sure Shippou will be able to keep an eye on you. Won't you, Shippou?"

The kit nodded and hopped onto Kagome's shoulder. "I'll take good care of her, don't worry!"

InuYasha flicked an annoyed glance in the kitsune's direction, but managed not to comment.

As one, the group turned around and headed toward the place where they would be bunking for the night, each member alone with their individual thoughts.

What tomorrow would bring, nobody could even guess.


	13. Evil Rising

The room the headman's wife offered the youkai taijiya group was, at best, shabby. There were holes in the tatty shoji doors, and the grain stood out in rough splinters on the floor. The futons were threadbare, the ceiling was patchy and the supporting beams were worn down. All in all, it wasn't like most places InuYasha's group had stayed in, and nothing like Ichigawa's Inn for All Occasions.

"This village must be suffering because of this youkai," Sango noted quietly, gently running a whetstone down her katana in preparation for the next day's escapades. "I hope we catch this thing soon."

"Indeed," Miroku agreed. The houshi's preparations went no further than a meditative 'trance' (though it was obvious that he wasn't really in a trance, since he managed to hear Sango). "The sooner we catch this youkai, the better."

InuYasha just gave a "Feh!" from his position in the far corner of the room. The hanyou, who was never one for good moods, was in a real funk that night. No-one really knew the reason (not that there had to be one).

Kagome was sitting in the opposite corner of the room, arms wrapped around her knees, her gaze fixated on the tattered shoji door.

"Are you sure we're safe here?" she asked for the fourth or fifth time that night.

Sango went over to her friend and put an arm around her shoulders. Apart from a brief flinch, Kagome did not move away from the taijiya's comforting touch. "We keep telling you, Kagome-chan, you're perfectly safe here. We'll protect you," the taijiya soothed her.

Kagome didn't look reassured, but some of the tension left her shoulders. Sango's face broke out into a smile. It was small thing, to be sure, but Kagome was starting to recognize all of them as her friends. Miroku smiled as well, his amethyst eyes sparkling. InuYasha let out another "Feh!" but he did look less foul tempered than he had before.

"Maybe you should go to bed, Kagome-sama," Miroku suggested. "If you're not going to be helping us out tomorrow, you'll need all the sleep you can get."

Kagome smiled timidly at Miroku. "That sounds like a good idea."

"Don't worry, Kagome!" Shippou exclaimed from his position by the fire, bouncing up and down excitedly. "We'll protect you!"

Kagome's reluctant smile became a little more pronounced as she headed over to one of the ratty futons and settled down.

_'Maybe they're out to get me, but there is something reassuring about them.' _

This was Kagome's final thought before sleep claimed her.

* * *

><p>It was nearly midnight. The half-moon rode high in the sky, black clouds occasionally drifting lazily over its pearly white face. The stars twinkled like so many precious gems woven into the black velvet tapestry that was the sky. The wind barely whispered in the trees and not a creature disturbed the silent night.<p>

Then, something changed.

A great moaning wind started up as a dark cloud drifted over the sky, casting an eerie shadow onto the land beneath it. The forest was suddenly full of the sounds of animals fleeing as every creature in the woods fled the unknown presence.

Deep in the darkness of the woods, eyes that were the fiery red color of freshly shed blood opened lazily, regarding the small village before it with malicious intent.

**"Tonight is the night...tonight I take back that which my master entrusted to the hanyou's fold!"**

* * *

><p>As soon as the wind had risen, InuYasha had gotten up from his far corner, slowly approaching the shoji door and peering cautiously out of one of the holes in the thin paper.<p>

"Something's coming."

InuYasha turned at the sound of the voice, popping Tetsusaiga out of its sheath just in case. It was only Miroku, who had also starting stirring at the sound of the wind's howls.

"You think I didn't notice that?" InuYasha hissed, ears flattening in annoyance.

Miroku just raised an eyebrow in reply as he, too, went over to the shoji door and peered out at the dark landscape beyond. A few minutes later, Sango joined them as well, bedecked in her youkai taijiya finery, Kirara perched carefully on her shoulder. At a glance, both men could tell that Sango had also been roused by the strange turn in the weather.

"Should we go?" she asked, one hand tightening on Hiraikotsu as her gaze flickered over to the futon farthest from the door, where Kagome was sleeping, Shippou comfortably nestled in the crook of her arm.

"It would be for the best," Miroku replied gently. "As long as we find the youkai quickly, Kagome-sama will remain safe."

InuYasha's brow furrowed as he, too, shot a look toward Kagome. "Y'think one of us should stay behind to protect her?"

A shadowy smile flickered momentarily over Miroku's face. He turned around and went to Kagome's bedside. Taking care not to wake Kagome, the houshi reached out and gently prodded Shippou into wakefulness.

"Goway, baka 'nuY'sha," Shippou mumbled, tiny fists rubbing his eyes as he rolled over to glare at whoever had woken him up.

"Shippou, do you think you could protect Kagome while we're gone?" Miroku asked, careful to keep his voice as polite as possible while addressing the less than happy kitsune.

Shippou blinked slowly, processing what the houshi had asked of him. "Wha'ever," he finally yawned, rolling over and promptly falling asleep again.

"Hmm, it seems like our little kitsune warrior is a little too tired," Miroku chuckled softly as he turned back toward the others. InuYasha rolled his eyes and muttered something along the lines of "Knew he wouldn't fuckin' help."

"I'll leave Kirara here. She'll protect them," Sango decided. Upon hearing those words, Kirara leaped lightly down from the taijiya's shoulder and headed over to where Kagome was sleeping.

"Okay, if we're all done here, can we go?" InuYasha growled, one hand on his sword as he flicked furtive glances out at the dark landscape beyond the headman's house. Then, without waiting for an answer, the hanyou threw the door open and darted out, chasing after the source of evil that permeated the land. Miroku and Sango both rolled their eyes and chased after him. The trail of dust that they raised was soon lost to all eyes as the group pursued the evil aura.

Never could they guess, however, that the source of the evil aura was, at that moment, slinking stealthily toward the headman's house.

* * *

><p><em>Kagome looked about herself. The place was eerily familiar, from the dark shading of the purple sky to the deep furrows in the Earth. Though, for the life of her, Kagome couldn't figure out why she was back in the grounds of Naraku's castle. <em>

_"Um...hello?" Kagome called, her head tilting in confusion. "Is there anyone here?"_

_Nobody answered at first, and Kagome felt her heartbeat pick up speed until it was drumming hard and fast. _

_'This doesn't feel right,' she thought, one hand coming up to clutch her beating heart. 'What's going on here? Is this a dream, or what?'_

_Then, as if Kagome's last thought had been his cue, Naraku strode out of the thick poisonous purple mists, a cold smile upon his face as he approached Kagome with purpose in every step._

_"Well, well, well," the spider purred, one hand snaking out to catch Kagome's chin, "Fancy seeing you here, Kagome."_

_Kagome shuddered. Even in a dream, Naraku's fishy hands caused shivers to chase each other up and down her spine. "What...what do you want now?" she whimpered._

_The dark hanyou raised an eyebrow, as if Kagome's question was somehow infantile and foolish. Then, he slowly shook his head, like he was remonstrating the young girl. "You should have listened to me, Kagome...you should have stayed in my custody. You've been caught up in the lies of my enemies, and now I have no choice..." Naraku trailed off, though his eyes were glittering with a malicious light. _

_"What do you-" _

_A sharp pain radiated through her chest, sending Kagome careening to wakefulness. Before she was fully awake, Naraku's final words rang through her head._

_"You will serve as an excellent shield, Kagome...though you will never know it."_

Kagome gasped as she rocketed awake. She lurched upward, ignoring Shippou's cries as he was catapulted away, as well as Kirara's growls of alarm. Heedless of direction or purpose, Kagome flung the shoji door wide open and stumbled outside, one hand clutching her chest.

_'Wha...wha...what's going on?' _Kagome thought, eyes wide open though she couldn't see anything, her hand clutching desperately at her chest. _'My heart feels so...so...__**cold**__.'_

Unable to move any longer, the miko collapsed, curling up upon herself like a hedgehog as the cold within her heart spread throughout her body, paralyzing every limb it touched. Her breath came in shorter and shallower gasps until she was dangerously close to passing out due to hyperventilation.

_'Help me...somebody...anybody...HELP ME!'_

Then the cold reached her mind, and Kagome knew no more.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Thanks to my dad, I was finally able to get my computer up and running again so I could bring you this chapter!_

_Update: On a slightly sadder note, I'm having problems scraping my brain cells for ideas (as you have undoubtedly noticed) so the story might be put on hold for a while. I promise to work as hard as possible on this story when I have free time to do so. =P_


	14. Mujōna and Kyūnashi

The youkai taijiya group was starting to get very worried at the lack of results from their hunt. It wasn't like the youki had faded from the area; the exact opposite, in fact. The youki was spreading in a cold, ominous wave of evil, coating the lands with its icy touch.

"I don't like this," InuYasha growled, his body tense and his fangs flashing.

"You've said that thirty times already, and for the thirtieth time, we _agree _with you!" Sango snapped at him, irritated beyond all belief. Her voice was muffled, owing to the fact that she was wearing her taijiya's mask in order to combat the effects the youki had on those who had no spiritual or demonic powers.

Miroku cut in before InuYasha could think up a reply. "Arguing amongst ourselves will get us nowhere. Yes, I too find it odd that we have searched these woods and have not found the source of the youki. But we must remain cautious and alert."

The other two glared at the houshi, but they were wise enough to remain quiet. They both knew that Miroku was speaking the truth; when dealing with youkai, one had to expect the unexpected, whatever that could be. So, they pressed forward, hands on weapons and eyes darting to and fro as they searched for the hidden enemy.

Then, InuYasha's ears flicked bolt upright as his body went as rigid as a taut string. The only part of him that still moved was his nose, twitching and quivering as if with a life of its own. Not wasting any time, the hanyou quickly went to his hands and knees, snuffling madly at the ground as his head darted left and right, searching and confirming.

"Have you found something, InuYasha?" Sango asked urgently, annoyance forgotten in the excitement accompanying the hanyou's behavior. "InuYasha?" she asked again, this time with a little more hesitation in her voice as InuYasha slowly straightened up, fangs flashing as his ears lay flat on his head. He turned slowly to the other two, his golden eyes molten with the force of his rage and hate.

"This scent-it's Naraku's!" he hissed.

The other two goggled at him.

"So it's him or one of his incarnations that's been luring the villagers away," Miroku said angrily, fist tightening around his Shakujou. "But why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" InuYasha stood up, fists clenched and trembling with rage. "He probably wanted to _lure _us here!" He turned around and began running.

"InuYasha!" Miroku cried, breaking out into a fast sprint with Sango right behind him. "Where are you going?"

"That bastard's scent is heading towards the fuckin' village!" InuYasha shouted back. "Kagome's in danger!"

**"Very clever of you to find me, little man! Or should I be praising your **_**snout?**_**"**

The group skidded to a halt, confused by the shout that had sounded not in the forest, but in their heads. Confused, they looked left and right, searching for the source of the 'voice.'

"Come out here and fight me, bastard!" InuYasha roared, Tetsusaiga flashing as he drew it out of its sheath and swung it through the air in an arc of defiance, the blade whistling with the promise of death as it swished through the night.

**"I will face you, hanyou!" **

Without warning, a clawed fist flew out of the darkness to the left of the group. They only just managed to dodge in time, as the fist smashed into the ground, creating a large crater. The owner of the fist stepped out of the shadows, scratching his head with a large claw.

**"Hn, you move very fast," **the creature grunted.

InuYasha and the others squinted at him, eyes narrowing in confusion.

At first sight, he looked an oni with arms long enough to touch the ground. At second glance, though, they noticed that the youkai's entire body was covered in black fur that blended into the night, with eyes blazing a bright red like blood. Not only that, but the feet that rested on the ground were actually foot-paws, and the head on his shoulders was that of a large wolf's, with a gaping mouth that was continuously dripping saliva down on his chest-fur. His dirty hakama was stained with a substance suspiciously like blood.

"Are you the one luring the villagers away?" Miroku asked, his staff jingling as he pointed it at the ōkami-youkai.

The ōkami leered at him, saliva dripping from his fangs as his tongue came out to lick his black lips. **"It wasn't easy, believe me. My ability to influence thought isn't as good as it could be. But it worked...well enough." **The beast threw back his head and laughed as one of his apelike arms came up and rubbed his lean stomach. **"Human flesh and blood...there is no feast better for Kyūna-shi, the strongest of the strong!" **Kyūna-shi lifted his muscular arms over his head and laughed cruelly, his grunting chortles echoing over the forest.

InuYasha swung the Tetsusaiga up and over his head, letting the blade rest on his shoulders as he regarded the youkai with a skeptical stare. "Y'mean _you're _the bastard who's been killing all the people of the village?" InuYasha sniffed once before his eyes narrowed and he growled, "Why would Naraku want these people dead, seeing as _you're _one of his lot?"

Kyūna-shi leered at him again. **"I care not what Naraku wants. Kyūna-shi only listens to one voice and one voice alone!"**

"And whose voice is that?" InuYasha asked sarcastically.

There was a rustling in the foliage as something else approached them. Then, a familiar shape stepped out of the shadows and made its way towards them.

"That voice," Kagome sneered, tossing her hair back and regarding the group with a superior glare, "would be _mine._"

* * *

><p>Far, far away from the forest where the fight against Kyūna-shi was taking place, Naraku sat in his castle, much like he used to do long before the events of Mt. Hakurei, eyes glittering with malicious intent. On the other side of the room, not moving a single muscle, stood Kanna, her mirror showing her master the events in the forest as they played out.<p>

"Hmm...so now they see my intent," the dark hanyou chuckled. "Why settle for making Kagome lose her memory, when I could set her against InuYasha?" Naraku laughed again, as if enjoying a private joke.

"Fight all you like, InuYasha...but you will never be able to destroy me now."

* * *

><p>Back in the clearing, silence reigned, totally and completely. Everyone stared at the figure of the small woman who stood next to the massive figure of Kyūna-shi, a cruel smirk twisting her features into a grotesque mask.<p>

InuYasha could not, _would not _believe that it was truly Kagome who stood across from him, who smirked at him with complete contempt etched into every line of her face. It had to be a trick, it _had _to be a clever fake, or one of Naraku's incarnations, or _something! _There was no way in Nippon that Kagome would ever betray him...right?

"Kagome...what the hell are you doing?" InuYasha hissed, trying hard to convince everyone, most of all himself that the emotion lodging itself in his throat was _not _hurt.

Kagome looked at him, her smirk becoming more pronounced. "Quit your yapping, dirty little hanyou. No-one wants to hear the _garbage _you always spout," she purred, one hand reaching out to tangle in Kyūna-shi's black fur. "Do they, Kyūna-shi?"

The ōkami-youkai let out a guttural laugh as he lifted a clawed fist and punched it into the paw-pads on his opposite palm. **"Who **_**would **_**want to listen to a hanyou, Mujōna?"**

"So, is Mujōna your name, then?" Miroku interjected, cutting off InuYasha just as he was about to shout some objection to the taunts and insults coming his way. He fixed Kagome with a stern glare, which seemed to pass over her like water. "Answer me one question, Mujōna-why are you pretending to be Kagome?"

The smirk on Mujōna's face transformed into an evil grin as her red/brown eyes lit up with a sinister laugh. Throwing her head back, Mujōna proceeded to cackle into the night, making InuYasha's ears flatten to his head and making the humans wince as the hate-ridden sound echoed around the clearing.

"Pretending? _Pretending?_" Mujōna guffawed, leaning against Kyūna-shi as she wiped tears from her eyes. "I never _pretended! _I am Mujōna, and by the will of Naraku-sama, I inhabit this girl's body!" Kagome's teeth flashed in a feral smile as Mujōna beamed at them.

InuYasha's hurt was immediately replaced with anger at the youkai's words. "_What? _What the _fuck _do you mean, _inhabit Kagome's body?_"

"Baka hanyou," Mujōna murmured, almost lovingly. "You _are _as stupid as you look, aren't you?" InuYasha bared his teeth, refusing to let himself be hurt by the youkai's taunts in Kagome's voice. "It's exactly what it sounds like," Mujōna continued. "When Naraku-sama made me from parts of his flesh, he told me that my purpose was to live _inside _of the girl, to inhibit her memories and her miko powers. I would sleep, conserving my powers until the moment I heard my darling Kyūna-shi's voice. Then, I would awaken, assert _my _consciousness over the girl's and proceed to _exterminate _you all like _the rats you are._" The relish in Mujōna's voice increased with every word she spoke, the devilish intent spreading over her face until Kagome was barely recognizable. Then, her face cleared, returning to the smug look she had worn when she had first entered the clearing.

"Ah...but I grow bored of our talk," Mujōna sighed, spreading her arms in a 'what-can-you-do' gesture. "Kyūna-shi?"

The youkai in question straightened up. **"Hn?"**

Mujōna's eyes narrowed with glee as she stared pointedly at InuYasha, Miroku and Sango. "Kill them all, and remove their heads so that we might present them to Naraku-sama."

Kyūna-shi's eyes lit up with happiness as he roared, **"My pleasure!"** He lifted his fists off the ground and swung a powerful right toward Miroku and Sango, both of them just managing to avoid the fist before it hit them. Taking advantage of the fact that his back was turned to him, InuYasha charged forth, Tetsusaiga in hand, ready to drive the katana's blade deep into Kyūna-shi's heart.

Just as the blade was about to pierce the ōkami-youkai's backbone, he turned to fix the hanyou with a piercing, pupil-less stare. **"STOP!" **he thundered.

InuYasha stopped. It was not out of shock or remorse or whatever; it was like he was a wind-up doll whose key had stopped turning. Despite attempts to get moving again, the hanyou was unable to. Glaring daggers at Kyūna-shi, who was smirking at him, InuYasha growled, "You bastard-what the hell have you done to me?"

**"I told you, baka!" **Kyūna-shi thundered, whirling around with the claws of his right hand extended. Unable to dodge, InuYasha took the blow right in the stomach. The hanyou yowled as five deep wounds were opened on his stomach, sending blood spraying all over the arena.

"InuYasha!" Miroku cried, rushing forward to offer his friend aid. Kyūna-shi turned and kicked out at the houshi, catching his cheek with a foot-claw and sending him spinning away.

**"Like I said before, the powers of influence that Naraku gave me were enough to enchant the village women to come to me...so why shouldn't they work on you; a hanyou who can't resist the **_**weakest **_**of spells?" **Kyūna-shi sneered, looking down at the hanyou from his superior height. **"It doesn't matter what you desire to do; whatever I tell you to do, you **_**do **_**it!"**

"Oh yeah?" InuYasha growled, right before he leaped off the ground. Before Kyūna-shi could react, InuYasha's blood-claws were soaring at him, opening cuts all over his body.

**"You-" **Kyūna-shi snarled, the smile vanishing from his muzzle as he charged forward. **"You shall pay **_**dearly **_**for wounding me, hanyou!"**

"Don't think so, fuckin' ōkami!" InuYasha snarled back, Tetsusaiga tight in his bloodied hands as he also charged, ignoring the wounds that streamed blood down his chest and over his legs.

Over at the far side of the field, Sango was helping Miroku get to his feet, her hand staunching the shallow wound on the houshi's cheek. "Are you all right, houshi-sama?" she asked urgently.

"I will be-" Miroku cut himself off as he glimpsed the frail looking figure standing on the edge of the clearing, forgotten by the combatants. "Sango, look! What's happening to Kagome-sama?"

* * *

><p>When InuYasha had initially been wounded by Kyūna-shi, his left side had been facing Mujōna, who was watching the fight with a semi-bored expression on her face. The way Kyūna-shi clawed the hanyou meant that his blood spattered over Mujōna's hands and upper torso. At first, the sight and smell of the blood excited her, but then, she felt something shift within her, something that had she had forced into dormancy long ago...<p>

Miroku and Sango watched, stunned, as Mujōna swayed on the spot, her hands clutching her head. "What's happening?" Sango whispered. The houshi had no answer for her.

The miko's small form started trembling, as if she had caught a sudden ague. Her eyes were riveted on her blood-speckled hands, an expression of shock slowly spreading over her face. Then, slowly, ever so slowly, her head lifted, her eyes fixing instead on the battle in front of her.

Miroku inhaled sharply. Kagome's eyes had returned to normal-and not the pre-Mujōna normal, not the forgetful, timid, frightened little rabbit normal.

It was Kagome's eyes as he remembered them, her eyes as they had been before the fateful day when Naraku had stolen her from under their noses.

"InuYasha!" Miroku shouted. "InuYasha! Look at Kagome!"

But the hanyou was not listening. Every fiber of his being was invested in defeating his foe, though up to this point all the two had managed to do was wound each other. The blood was pounding in his ears and roaring through his brain, cloaking everything in a red mist in which only Kyūna-shi was visible.

"No..."

Kagome's voice was barely a whisper, far too weak and feeble to reach the fighters' ears. Her hands came up to clench at the sides of her head as tears filled her eyes. "No...get out of my head..." she moaned, her nails scoring her scalp as her eyes squeezed shut. The tears starting streaming down her face, hard and fast, as Kagome lifted her head to the sky and screamed, "YOU CAN'T MAKE ME DO THIS! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"

The shout rang out over the arena like a gunshot. Both InuYasha and Kyūna-shi stopped mid-lunge as Kagome's shout broke through the red haze the fight had induced. (Under other circumstances, their positions would actually have been quite comical.) Their eyes moved to the trembling young woman, who was clutching her head as tears streamed down her face. Then, she looked up.

"InuYasha...oh, InuYasha, what have I done?" Kagome whispered, tears dripping down her chin and onto her kimono-clad chest.

InuYasha's ears twitched as he goggled at the miko standing in front of him.

The eyes boring into him from across the field was neither Mujōna's eyes nor that of the frightened girl he'd found in Kyoto; they were Kagome's eyes, the eyes of the woman he had searched tirelessly for, the eyes of the woman he had sorely missed. His Kagome was _back. _Then, the hanyou's brain finally processed what she had said.

"Kagome...no, dammit, you didn't do this," he half-growled, half-whined. He made a move toward her, but had to jump back. Kyūna-shi had broken out of his trance as well, and made a swing for the hanyou as soon as he saw him moving toward Kagome.

**"Stay back, half-breed!" **he roared before turning to Kagome. **"Mujōna, what happened? Why has that...that **_**woman **_**regained control?"**

Kagome's hands clenched into fists on either side of her head. "No...can't...won't..." she gasped, her eyes flashing between brown and red before their eyes. Then, she spoke.

"Kyūna-shi...retreat...can't...not enough...strength..."

Kagome's eyes rolled back into her head as the war between the two souls inhabiting her body finally took its toll on her flesh. She fell to the ground in a dead faint.

**"Damn," **Kyūna-shi cursed, then turned on his tail and ran into the forest. **"Don't think this is over!" **he cried as he sprinted into the darkness, his tail the last thing they saw before the darkness claimed him. Slowly, the fierce aura Kyūna-shi possessed ebbed away, the clouds that covered the sky receding into nothingness as the winds died down.

"Fuckin' youkai...none of Naraku's lot can ever just stand and _fight,_" InuYasha growled. Then, he sheathed Tetsusaiga and moved swiftly to the edge of the clearing, one hand attempting to staunch the wounds on his chest. The hanyou stopped and crouched next to Kagome's prone form, ears flattening as he wrapped his other arm around Kagome's shoulders and lifted her up, letting his cheek rest in her hair as he let her scent soothe his tired soul. "I'm sorry, Kagome," he whispered. "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you from that bastard Naraku..."

Miroku and Sango had reached them by this point, Miroku placing a comforting hand on InuYasha's shoulder. "There was nothing any of us could do, InuYasha," he said, not unkindly. "Naraku took us completely by surprise, remember? It was over before we even realized it."

InuYasha, however, was not to be pacified. "Still, I should have been more careful that day."

Sango snorted. "This is no time for a case of the 'could have, should have, would have's,' baka. Right now, we need to focus on caring for Kagome-chan and thinking about future plans."

InuYasha's head whipped up, ears standing straight up as he turned to fix Sango with a half-stare. Before he could say anything, however, a shout came from the sky.

"INUYASHA! INUYASHA!"

Kirara came soaring gracefully down from the sky, Shippou dancing agitatedly on her back.

"I finally found you guys! It's Kagome, she-" At that moment, Shippou saw the woman lying unconscious in the hanyou's arms, and the words died in his throat. "Oh," he said weakly.

"Thanks for telling us, Shippou," InuYasha said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "Hey, next time we ask you to defend something, would you mind ACTUALLY DEFENDING IT?"

Shippou jumped back and fell off Kirara, landing right on his fluffy orange tail. The kitsune's bottom lip started trembling as his head drooped under the weight of InuYasha's furious words. "I...I tried, InuYasha," Shippou whimpered, using his sleeve to wipe the tears from his emerald eyes. "But...but...Kagome just ran so fast, and then her scent disappeared, and then that youki made everything so cold, and then...and then..." Shippou's sentence came to an abrupt end as the kit burst into tears, wailing unhappily as the weight of what had happened settled on his tiny shoulders.

"That's enough, InuYasha," Miroku chided as he lifted the crying kit with one hand and let him sob into his robes. "Shippou has suffered enough tonight...remember, when dealing with Naraku, it is rare for anything to go right."

Sango nodded in agreement as she went over to the nekomata and mounted her. "I agree. C'mon, let's go back to the village. We can tell them that the youkai will never attack them again, and maybe get some lodgings while we recover."

InuYasha gave a "Feh" but wasn't in the mood to argue anymore. He lurched to his feet, swaying slightly as the world spun a little due to the loss of blood, but the hanyou gritted his teeth and started to walk towards the headman's house, his arm wrapped tight around Kagome's limp form.

_'Dammit...how the fuck could I have let this happen?'_

* * *

><p>kyūna-shi: swift death<p>

mujōna-merciless

* * *

><p><em>AN: So, inspiration finally came to me in the form of me actually sitting down and working on my fanfic, for a change. =P Ah well, at least I didn't let the fic sit around for a few weeks before working on it again. _


	15. Kagome Returns & Mujōna's Voice

Naraku stood at the entrance to his castle lair, arms crossed over the red eye in his chest. His face was fixed in a smug smile, though his red eyes revealed the quiet rage that was the dark hanyou's true emotion. The three reptilian tails behind him were as still as the bony crests on his shoulders, and his posture in general made one think of an immovable mountain.

His eyes fell upon the forlorn figure of Kyūna-shi, who stood in the castle's courtyard. His fists rested on the ground in a very apelike manner, his jaw lolling and sending drool down his chin to plop onto his chest fur. His red eyes were defiant, but at the same time slightly fearful.

"Disappointing," Naraku finally stated, the smile still firmly in place, though his eyes were blazing. "Your efforts tonight were very disappointing, Kyūna-shi."

**"Your description of InuYasha was inaccurate," **Kyūna-shi growled back, holding one fist in front of his face as though he longed to take a swing at the hanyou standing before him. **"You made him sound like a complete and total weakling, Naraku! That was **_**not **_**the case! Also," **the giant ōkami-youkai thundered, pointing at Naraku with accusation burning bright in his pupil-less eyes, **"you failed to describe the strength of the bond between him and that Kagome woman! When I wounded InuYasha, she gained the strength to overthrow Muj****ōna****, ultimately defeating us!"**

Naraku's eyes narrowed as the smile finally disappeared. "Even so, you _should _have been prepared, Kyūna-shi." Naraku sighed and shook his head. "I am already regretting giving you 'free will.'"

Kyūna-shi growled, lifting one hand and scratching at his back. The spider scar beneath the mane of fur on his back always itched. **"You may be my creator, Naraku, but I will never bow down to you!" **Without warning, Kyūna-shi charged forward, hand clenched in a fist that swung toward Naraku at a dangerous speed. Naraku didn't even flinch as a barrier shimmered to life around him, causing Kyūna-shi to scream as his fist met the immovable ball of purplish light. Naraku's incarnation backed off, nursing the bones in his hand as he glared daggers at his creator.

Then, Naraku's tails stretched up over his head, passing through the barrier and wrapping themselves around Kyūna-shi's body; one around his waist and arms, one around his legs, and one around his neck.

"Do not forget, Kyūna-shi," Naraku said in a whisper that carried far across the desolate landscape, "I gave you life, and I can just as easily take it away. Would you like to return to the nothingness from whence you came?"

Kyūna-shi gagged as the scaly tail wrapped itself more and more tightly around his throat, cutting off his breathing as the tips of his toe-claws left the ground. **"Enough...I understand," **the ōkami-youkai snarled. As soon as the words had been 'said,' Naraku released his underling. Kyūna-shi fell to the ground with a loud _BOOM, _one large paw going to his throat and massaging his neck.

"I have had enough of you for one day," Naraku said, almost wearily. "Leave me now, Kyūna-shi."

**"What about Muj****ōna****?" **he asked, his face rather concerned. While he cared little for Naraku, his loyalty to Mujōna could not be questioned. **"Will you abandon her to be torn apart by that hanyou and his flock?"**

Naraku, who had turned to enter his castle, paused. Then, he turned to face Kyūna-shi, smug smile back in place.

"Are you concerned for her life, Kyūna-shi?" Naraku asked, a faint tone of amusement just barely lining the words.

**"Why wouldn't I be?" **the youkai growled. **"Unlike you and I, Muj****ōna**** is defenseless. If they decide to kill her-"**

Naraku turned back to Kyūna-shi, shaking his head again. "You think too much in terms of youkai. InuYasha and the rest of his fold will not turn on Kagome just because Mujōna lives inside her. She is far, _far _too dear to them for them to resort to killing them." The smirk on Naraku's face became a triumphant grin as his eyes lit up with the joy that only the success of one of his particularly nasty plans could bring. "And that, my dear Kyūna-shi, is why, no matter how strong InuYasha and his followers become, I will never lose."

Kyūna-shi's head tilted in confusion.

_**'I wonder what he means by that?'**_

* * *

><p>Shippou walked back to the headman's house, two bamboo tubes filled with water clasped in his tiny paws. Ever since the ordeal two nights before, when Naraku's new incarnations attacked the group, they had been staying with the headman's wife. She had been disappointed when they told her that they had failed to slay the beast who had stolen all their young women as well as her husband, but seemed slightly reassured when she heard that the youkai would never return to their village. When they asked if they could stay with her for a little while longer, she smiled sadly and said that her husband would be angry if she didn't help those who had been brave enough to venture into the forest to save their village.<p>

In return, the group members did what they could for the headman's wife. Sango chopped wood for the fire, Shippou cleaned and fetched water while Miroku helped her with taxes and the sort of things that her husband had been in charge of. (He did this mainly because the headman's wife had been nearly thirty years younger than her husband, barely in her mid-twenties, and a beauty besides that.)

InuYasha, however, did nothing to help. For the past two days and nights, the hanyou had been sitting, as immovable as a boulder, right beside Kagome's bed. Kagome's struggle with Mujōna had taken much more out of her than they could have guessed; ever since the group had returned to the village, she had remained unconscious. Feeling guilty about the whole ordeal, InuYasha sat beside her for hours on end, not sleeping, and often not eating.

During this particular afternoon, Sango opened the shoji door adjacent to Kagome's room and called, "Hey, InuYasha! Could you help me move the firewood? There's a lot more than I thought there was!"

InuYasha's only response was an ear-flick in Sango's general direction. His eyes were fixed on Kagome's troubled features.

Sango walked through the shoji door and approached the inu-hanyou. "InuYasha," she tried again, "I really do need help with the firewood."

"Then get the bouzou to help you," InuYasha grunted.

Sango sighed and rolled up her sleeves. "Let me put this in a way you'll understand-"

InuYasha glanced at her, and jumped back as Sango swung her hand in a slap that was usually reserved for Miroku, the tips of her fingers just narrowly missing his cheek.

"-IF YOU DON'T COME OUT HERE, YOU'LL BE SORRY, INUYASHA!" Sango bellowed, her face going red with rage. InuYasha nodded glibly, heart pounding in his throat. _'Why are both of the women in our group so scary when they're angry?' _InuYasha wondered in a self-pitying way as he stood up, Tetsusaiga clutched in his fist. He fixed the youkai taijiya with a resentful golden glare as he followed her out of the room.

"It's for your own good, InuYasha," Sango said, more gently, as she led InuYasha out of the room. "It's not good for you to sit in there, day in and day out. Kagome is safe here, and you don't have to worry about her."

"I ain't worried about her," InuYasha said, though without much conviction.

Sango ignored that. "I know for a fact that you haven't eaten since we got back, and for you, I think that's a record. Aren't you hungry?"

"No," InuYasha lied, a fact that was soon made apparent when his stomach growled. Sango just raised her eyes to the sky, a soft smile touching her lips.

_'Just like InuYasha to be defensive,' _she thought as they started hauling the firewood over to the storage area. _'I doubt that will ever change.'_

* * *

><p>Back in the headman's hut, Kagome was stirring. Her eyes were moving restlessly beneath their lids, her lips quivering as if she was trying hard to say something. Then, her eyes opened slowly, the picture focusing after a few blinks.<p>

"Uuuurgh," she groaned, sitting up very slowly, her hands clutching her head. "How long have I been out? My head feels like it's been stuffed with cotton..."

_Ah, now, that would probably be me, dumbass. After all, we are sharing a head._

Kagome froze in the middle of massaging her temples, the fuzzy feeling in her head forgottten. _'Muj__ōna__?'_

_You were expecting Amaterasu?_

Kagome looked up at the ceiling, her eyes narrowing. "Why are you talking to me?" she asked aloud. "Also, why have I been unconscious for so long?"

The voice in her head sighed. _Stupid little girl. We __**both **__expended a lot of power that night, and your body needed to recuperate for not one, but two souls worth of strength. I'm still not back to my old self...yet. As for why I'm talking to you...well, I just got bored, that's all. Plus, I've been asleep for a month and a week. Even if I __**had **__been awake, you weren't exactly good company during that time._

Kagome winced, remembering the way she had acted during the long days during that time...and the way she had treated her friends. The miko knew they wouldn't hold it against her, but that didn't stop her from feeling bad; especially when she recalled the look on InuYasha's face when she failed to recall him.

_Oh, that was just the __**prelude**__, my sweet, naïve little Kagome. Your precious little hanyou will only find more suffering in the days ahead._

In a flash, Kagome was on her feet, her hands clutching her head. "No...NO! I won't let you! I won't let you hurt InuYasha! You can't make me hurt him again!"

_What you will or won't do doesn't matter to me, dumbass. Like my dear __Ky__ūna-shi__ told you, if I tell you to do something, you do it, regardless of feelings. _Mujōna's 'voice' became a soft, lethal sounding purr, and Kagome knew it meant she was thinking of the tortures she knew was in store for their group. _It will be magnificent, you know-InuYasha's death. He will spend every last one of his moments trying and failing to defeat me-__**us**__. But he won't. And you know why? Because I'm in __**you**__, and since I am, that filthy hanyou will never be able to touch me. It's like that whole ordeal with Kikyou-_

At the mention of her previous incarnation's name, Kagome flinched.

_-Ah, I forgot how much you hate to hear her name. Hmm. Have to remember that. Anyway, it's like that whole thing with Kikyou; since I wear the flesh of the woman he loves, he can never lay so much as a finger on me. Oooooh, just __**thinking **__of how much InuYasha will suffer just makes me feel so-_

"Stop it!" Kagome half-shrieked, pounding her head with her fists. "I've had enough of this! STOP IT!"

Mujōna sighed. _You really are no fun. All right, I'll let you have control of your stupid little head for a while. I have to build up my strength, anyway. When you're least expecting it, I'll be in control once again, and believe you me, all your puny friends will suffer when that happens._

Kagome shivered with repulsion. Then, an idea struck her.

_'That's why you let me retain my memories this time, isn't it? You're trying to build up your strength, and restraining my spiritual powers is taxing you enough without the added pain of blocking my memories,' _she thought, knowing that if she got too loud her friends would come running, if they weren't already.

Silence. Then-

_You think you're so smart, don't you? But I'll tell you now, you're the same stupid, ignorant, obnoxious, selfish, spoiled little girl that came to InuYasha all those months ago! _

With that, Mujōna fell silent, retreating into a far corner of Kagome's mind. The miko sighed. The last insult had been painful, but Kagome suspected that the youkai had been lashing out to try and cover up her surprise.

It didn't make it any less hurtful, though.

With a sigh, Kagome walked over to her backpack, which someone had thoughtfully placed in the room with her. She flipped it open and began to rummage around inside of it, searching out a clean set of clothes and her favorite pair of shoes. The ghost of a smile came to her lips when she found her sailor-style school uniform and the shoes, which had all sunk to the very bottom of the bag. She stripped quickly, grateful to get out of the kimono, which, though it was beautiful, was a reminder of who Mujōna had forced her to become for a whole month. When she had gotten her red tie in place and made sure her shoes were firmly on her feet, Kagome finally felt like herself again (although she could really do with a nice hot bath, but then again, you didn't get everything in life).

When she was done, the miko opened the shoji door, screwing up her eyes as the bright sunlight poked her viciously in the eye. When the picture cleared, she could see out over a small village; not Kaede's village, but similar. Kagome looked left and right, searching out her friends. She finally spotted Shippou, who was sitting on the bottom step of the back entrance, drawing something with the crayons and drawing pad she had given him so long ago. Slowly, she headed over to him, laughing softly when she saw the kitsune's determination clearly stamped out on his tiny face, from the tip of his tongue touching his cheek to the fierce set of his eyebrows.

"What are you drawing, Shippou-chan?" Kagome asked softly, trying not to startle him.

"Noneofyourbusiness!" Shippou cried, hiding the pad behind his back as he turned around, tail poofing up in alarm. Then, he saw who had been addressing him.

"Kagome!" With a cry of joy, the kit bounded forward and buried himself in Kagome's chest, whimpering softly and pressing himself as close to her as he could. Then, almost as if he had done something wrong, he looked up at her, his emerald eyes veiled by his black eyelashes. "Um...you do remember me, right?"

The smile on Kagome's face slipped away like snow in a brook, replaced by a wistful sadness. "I'm sorry, Shippou-chan," she said quietly. "If I had been stronger, I would have fought Mujōna with all of my strength. Please believe me when I say that I never intended to forget you like that."

Shippou's face was instantly contrite as his little paws started patting her face, intent on cheering up his mother-figure. "It's okay, Kagome," he chirruped, his tail wiggling happily. "At least you remember me _now._"

Kagome smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "Arigato, Shippou-chan."

_Oh, how sweet. I could puke._

_'Be quiet,' _Kagome told Mujōna, a tingle of annoyance flickering over her features.

"Hey-the others don't know you're awake! I'll go tell them!" Shippou made to leap out of Kagome's arms, but the miko held him back.

"Wait! Just tell me where InuYasha is," she told him, her eyes alight with a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.

Shippou cocked his head at her, a knowing smile on his face. "Sango managed to rope him into helping her with the firewood. Boy, is _he _gonna be glad you're awake! He was eating himself alive when you were all unconscious and stuff," Shippou said gleefully.

"Okay, so he's with Sango-chan." Kagome nodded in understanding. "Why don't you go tell Miroku-sama that I'm awake? I'm sure he'll appreciate it." Shippou nodded once, then bounded out of her arms and tumbled across the grassy ground. The miko laughed once, then turned and headed in the direction she thought the wood pile would be.

Her intuition proved true, which was a slight relief, seeing as the presence of a certain _somebody _prevented her from using her miko powers to search for InuYasha's youkai aura. Kagome shook her head, then continued toward the sound of wood on wood...as well as a heated argument.

"...for the billionth time, I DID NOT drop that bundle of firewood on purpose!" Sango's voice sounded very annoyed, and Kagome suspected that if she could see her taijiya friend, her face would be a bright tomato red, her hands firmly set on her hips and her brown eyes narrowed.

"I don't _care _if you didn't drop it on purpose; you still shoulda made sure it didn't land ON MY FUCKIN' FOOT!" she heard InuYasha bellow back. Even though his voice wasn't exactly the soft murmur of a silver-screen lover, it still sent shivers down the miko's back. How she had missed that voice...

She peeped around the edge of the storage building and saw the inu-hanyou and the youkai-taijiya standing almost face to face, both of them quite red as they took turns shouting at each other. The offending wood-bundle was lying innocently by InuYasha's feet, which looked none the worse for wear. Kagome sighed, then stepped out from behind the building.

"InuYasha, if you can be stabbed in the stomach without complaint, I should think a few pounds of wood would be nothing to you. Baka," Kagome laughed, though the insult sounded more like a term of endearment.

The effect the simple statement had on the arguing pair was incredible, not to mention comical. About to start a whole new round of insults, they stopped in mid-breath as Kagome's soft words washed over them. Slowly they both turned around, blinking like they had been locked in a dark room and Kagome was a flashlight that had been turned on in their faces. Kagome smiled, secretly laughing at the look of surprise that was quickly turning into borderline joy on InuYasha's face, though he was obviously trying to mask his joy with indifference. _'The way he tries to hide his emotions is frustrating at times, but sometimes I find it pretty endearing...'_

_Yeah, well, I just think it's stupid._

_'No-one cares what you think,' _Kagome thought back with a growl. _'Go back to resting.'_

Then, all thoughts of Mujōna and her negative attitude was wiped from Kagome's mind as InuYasha bounded toward her, his mane whipping out behind him as he closed the short distance between them in a matter of seconds, skidding to a halt right in front of her.

The inu-hanyou stared down at her from his superior height, his golden eyes practically molten with the force of his relief, although Kagome could see some hesitation in the mix of emotions swirling in the hanyou's fathomless eyes. She knew he was remembering how she had shunned him during her timid and forgetful state, probably even remembering the way she had hit him with the lantern and called him a monster. As she recalled what she had done to him, Kagome felt tears building up in her eyes again.

"Oh, InuYasha," she whispered miserably, putting her hands around his waist and leaning into his chest, letting his fire-rat haori absorb the hot tears that were leaking out of her eyes, "will you ever forgive me for all the horrible things I did and said to you?"

A second passed during which absolutely nothing happened. Kagome was standing there, feeling exceptionally foolish and hurt at the lack of response, as well as Mujōna's quiet satisfaction at InuYasha's apparent rejection. The only thing that gave her hope was the fact that his heartbeat had sped up as each word left her mouth, crashing in his chest so hard she could feel the relentless beat through his thick clothing.

Then, his arms wrapped around her, tighter than she thought was possible, crushing all the breath out of her. Kagome felt the hanyou's face nuzzle into her shoulder, heard him snuffling slightly as he inhaled her scent, both to check if she was all right and because he liked it so much.

"Baka," he finally said, his voice muffled by her shoulder. "I knew you weren't yourself when I took you from that inn. You don't haveta apologize."

Kagome shook her head. "I still hurt you. If I had been stronger-"

Without warning, the hanyou's sword-calloused hand came up and grasped her chin, lifting her face so that she was eye-to-eye with him, dark brown meeting shining gold. "It _isn't _your fault, Kagome," he said sternly. Then, his face became very ashamed. "It's mine. I should've protected you when we went to fight Naraku. But I didn't."

Kagome was shocked by the amount of self-loathing that she could see in InuYasha's eyes. She recalled that Shippou had said he was 'eating himself alive.' Did he mean that the hanyou felt guilty?

"No, it isn't your fault, InuYasha," Kagome disagreed, her eyebrows furrowing as she now regarded him with a stern stare. "Naraku took us all by surprise. I guess that means...it's nobody's fault but his." She reached up and ran her fingers through InuYasha's soft silver bangs, watching as his eyes widened in surprise at the unusually intimate gesture. "It doesn't matter anyway; that's in the past now, and I know you know there's no way on Earth or in Nirvana that we can change the past."

InuYasha snorted and backed away, veiling his eyes with the usual defensively neutral mask used whenever he was thinking about the tragic events of fifty years before. "Feh," he snorted. Kagome smiled, though her eyes remained sad and distant.

Sango chose this moment to step in, pushing InuYasha aside and wrapping her friend in a warm hug. "I'm so glad you're awake, Kagome-chan," she told her, a happy smile crossing her face and making her normally gloomy brown eyes sparkle.

"It's good to be awake; I've been asleep for a long time, and I'm not just talking about what happened back in the field," Kagome agreed. "I feel like a haze has cleared from my brain, and I can finally see who I am again."

_Not for much longer, you won't, _Mujōna corrected smugly. _I grow more powerful with each passing minute._

Kagome's eyes widened slightly as she took in what Mujōna was saying. If she grew strong enough to take over her again...

"Are you all right, Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, her brow furrowing. She had noticed the look of shock that had passed over her friend's face, and it concerned her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw InuYasha turning, his brow also crinkling.

Kagome seemed to snap out of it at the sound of Sango's voice. She smiled again, though her eyes remained the same, and said, "It's...nothing, it's nothing Sango-chan." Before either the taijiya or the hanyou could react, the miko turned around, calling, "I think I hear Miroku-sama coming up the hill; I think I'll go say hello!" With that, Kagome practically fled the scene, her hair whipping out behind her as she darted away.

"What the fuck was that all about?" InuYasha swore, kicking at the ground with irritation written all over his face.

"Something's wrong," Sango murmured. "She's back, but she just seems so...so..._distant._"

"Have you forgotten, my dear Sango?"

Sango jumped at least a foot in the air, as did InuYasha. Both of them whirled about to face the owner of the voice. Miroku held his hands up in a pacifying gesture, Shakujou jingling as he did so. Shippou was resting on his shoulder, his face curious as his emerald eyes followed the fleeing form of his mother figure.

"It's just me, you two," Miroku soothed them, a serene smile on his face.

"Don't do that, houshi-sama," Sango huffed, straightening up and glaring at him. Miroku winced; he was glad she didn't have her Hiraikotsu. "Anyway, what do you mean, have I forgotten?"

Miroku smile faded slowly, replaced by a strange sort of sorrow. "Don't you remember, my friends?" the houshi sighed in the manner of a teacher who was telling off his students for not paying attention in class. "The reason Kagome-sama forgot everything? The reason she was turned against us during the fight with Kyūna-shi?"

Understanding flashed in Sango's eyes as she summed it up with a name: "Mujōna!"

InuYasha's eyes narrowed as he growled. "I thought we dealt with her!"

"No, InuYasha," Miroku corrected, "I think Kagome-sama overthrew her when you got wounded, but she is not completely defeated. Even now, she's probably lurking in the depths of her mind."

Miroku's amethyst eyes looked very worried now as his head turned in the direction Kagome had vanished. "My only concern is this: will Kagome-sama be able to hold out against Mujōna?"

No-one had an answer for that.


	16. Parting and Reunion: Mujōna's Plan

Kagome came back to the headman's house shortly after the sun began to set. She apologized for causing the others concern, saying, "I just needed some space. I'm sorry if I worried you." It seemed to pacify Shippou, but Miroku, Sango and InuYasha were not convinced. However, while InuYasha wanted to get the truth out of Kagome using any means necessary, Miroku and Sango agreed that Kagome would tell them in time.

"If we force her to tell us, we could seriously stress her out," Miroku whispered to an irritated InuYasha, "or worse, she might decide it would be better to lie to us. Let her tell us what the problem is in her own time; that way, we'll get the whole story without having to force it out of her."

InuYasha hadn't looked pleased at this idea, but on the other hand, pressuring Kagome when she obviously didn't want to talk was a sure-fire way of getting a one-way trip to 'osuwari' hell. So, he went along with it.

The group was sitting around the fire in the guest room of the headman's house, eating a frugal meal of rice and fish, which was all the headman's wife could really offer them. Miroku and Sango were talking about what they were going to do as soon as they got on the road again. Shippou and InuYasha were dueling over possession of the largest fish while Kirara looked on disapprovingly. Kagome, however, was being unusually quiet, picking halfheartedly at her meager portion of rice and fish. Her thoughts were a million miles away from the tiny house in the village.

_'Kami, I can't tell them about my problem with Muj__ōna__; it's not their burden to bear, and I don't want to make them worry about me,' _she stressed, chewing halfheartedly on a piece of fish. _'I'm certain they already know about Muj__ōna __possessing me, but there's no way on Earth they could know how strong she already is. If she manages to overthrow me again-'_

_Not "if," dumbass. When. When I overthrow you again. Which should be soon, by the way. I think I almost have enough strength to manage it soon. So you can go ahead and kiss your pathetic friends goodbye, _Mujōna corrected, her 'voice' sounding very smug.

Kagome shuddered, a movement that was missed by her friends, occupied as they were. _'I don't want to put them in danger. I...I...'_

Kagome looked up from her barely touched dinner, her eyes moving from one friend to the next, absorbing their features and their voices for what felt like the final time. Her eyes lingered longest upon InuYasha, much like a child would look longingly upon a toy he knows he will never possess. The hanyou felt her staring at him. His ears twitched as he left off the battle for the fish (Shippou seized it and ran for the corner in triumph) to look back at Kagome, who quickly became overly interested in her meal.

_'...I shouldn't stay here. Kami knows I'll miss them all, but I should put as much distance between them and me as physically possible. When Muj__ōna __regains control of my body, I know she'll summon Ky__ūna-shi__ here, and I might not be able to shake her off like I did last time.' _Her resolve strengthening, she pushed her tray of food away, then paused.

"Shippou-chan?" she called. The kitsune looked up, a piece of his prize dangling out of his mouth. "Do you want the rest of my dinner? I'm not very hungry."

The kit's eyes widened before he swallowed down the rest of his mouth-full and charged towards Kagome's tray, shouting, "Arigato, Kagome!"

InuYasha, however, knocked Shippou away before he could throw himself at Kagome's food. "You haven't eaten in a few days, Kagome," InuYasha pointed out, eyes narrowing. "You _should _eat."

Kagome shook her head, mentally crossing her fingers that the hanyou wouldn't guess her true purpose.

_I wouldn't worry. Your boyfriend has all the perceptive skills of an ox._

_'You'd be surprised,' _Kagome replied bitterly.

"I'm really not hungry, InuYasha," Kagome replied, her tone shifting into the 'drop-it-or-I-will-osuwari-you' zone. InuYasha's ears flattened at the sound of annoyance in her voice, but he decided to persevere.

"It's not good for you to fuckin' starve yourself!" he growled, eyes narrowing even further, to the point where all she could see were two golden slits.

Kagome glared back. "Excuse me, but last time I checked, you were not the one in control of my life, InuYasha," she gritted out, her cheeks pinking slightly. InuYasha visibly winced, and apparently decided that he _really _didn't want to get an 'osuwari.'

"Just...just eat somethin', okay?" he grumbled, releasing Shippou at the same time. The happy kitsune soon set about demolishing Kagome's dinner with oblivious gusto.

_'Well, if I'm gonna leave, better sooner than later,' _Kagome told herself.

_You sure? I would really, REALLY like to play with your friends. Just a little?_

Kagome didn't answer, but she felt as though her pitiful dinner was about to come out the way it came in. Clamping a firm hand down on her nausea, she turned to Sango.

"Sango-chan, does this village have a hot-spring or a bathhouse or something? I could really use a bath after spending two days in bed." Kagome knew that she bathed enough for this to be a perfectly valid excuse. They might even be a little less worried about her, thinking that she was returning to her normal self.

"Um..." Sango's brow furrowed in thought for a few seconds before smoothing out. "I think there's a bath-hut out behind the storage shed, but you might want to ask the headman's wife first."

"Sure. Thanks, Sango-chan." Kagome rose from the place she was sitting and headed into the room she had been sleeping in for the past two days.

_Now THAT was a pretty nice bit of tale-crafting, _Mujōna admitted, sounding both reluctant and impressed. _I think only Naraku-sama could do better. You should be proud._

Kagome fought down a retch as she took in the idea that she and Naraku would be the same in even _one _aspect. _'Your approval sickens me,' _she told Mujōna, her nose wrinkling. Then, she shook her head and started hunting around the darkening room.

Finally, she stumbled upon her yellow backpack. Moving quickly and quietly, Kagome stole out of her room and headed to the storage hut, whereupon she dumped her backpack on a grassy piece of ground and did a quick inventory of food and water supplies. From the look of things, the miko suspected that her friends had survived more on hunting and gathering than on her own supply of Heisei jidai stuff; there were twelve containers of ramen, a few boxes of sweets, what looked like a squished energy bar and a bento box that was probably way past its use-by date. As for water, two out of her four bottles were full.

_'This isn't so bad...' _she thought. _'It'll probably last me long enough to get me a good distance away from here.' _Then, she looked at her money-pouch. Long ago, she had demanded that Miroku split his 'earnings' with the rest of the group, just in case they got separated and needed it. He had agreed easily, considering the fact that she hadn't exactly been polite when she asked him. She smiled sadly at the memory and dumped the pouch out into her palm. It wasn't much, but she was sure she would be able to buy, oh, say, a horse? _'After all, it's not like I'm going to WALK away from here-InuYasha would catch me before I even got out of the village,' _she told herself grimly.

_So, are you just going to leave then? _Mujōna asked, feigning curiosity.

_'No...I think I'll leave a note. That way, they'll know I left of my own free will.' _Kagome knew it probably wouldn't stop them from chasing her, but hopefully they wouldn't worry so much about her. _'Yeah, and maybe Naraku will start doing good deeds and Sesshoumaru will decide to face each day with a smile,' _Kagome told herself sarcastically. But she jotted down a quick farewell on a sheet of her favorite note-paper and stuck it in the door of what she suspected was the bath-house anyway. Then, she packed everything up, pocketed her money-pouch and walked toward the village's entrance.

Kagome was in luck; a farmer standing near the entrance of the village was leading a group of horses toward an empty field. It took some doing, but she finally managed to convince him to part with one of them. Her pouch considerably lighter, the miko managed to mount her new ride after slinging her backpack over its rump in the manner of a saddle-bag.

_Have you ever even RIDDEN a horse? _Mujōna asked, her voice skeptical.

_'Um...not that I remember. I've ridden a nekomata, though.'_

_Oh, yeah, like a nekomata and a horse are even __**remotely **__the same. Don't get hurt; I don't want to have to deal with a broken limb when I take over again._

_'Thank you for your concern,' _Kagome thought sarcastically. Then, she got the horse moving, and by the time the sun had fully set, she was quite a few miles away from the village and the place where her friends were.

* * *

><p>"Dammit, what's taking her?" InuYasha cursed, his knee jiggling up and down with impatience. "Why the hell does she <em>always <em>need to take three hour baths?"

"Give her time, InuYasha," Miroku chastised gently, taking a sip from his tea. "Kagome-sama has had a very hard time lately. The bath is probably soothing her spirits."

"I agree with houshi-sama," Sango said, pausing in the act of polishing her Hiraikotsu. "Let Kagome-chan take as much time as she wants in the bath. When she's ready to come out, she'll come out."

"I agree!" Shippou exclaimed, prompting InuYasha to punch the kitsune right on the crown of his tiny head.

"Nobody asked you, brat!" he snapped.

"OWW! KAGOME! INUYASHA HIT ME!" Shippou squealed.

"Kagome's not fuckin' _in _here, baka!" InuYasha bellowed back, irritation written all over his face.

"ENOUGH!" Sango roared, throwing down her Hiraikotsu as she rose to her feet. "If I hear _another _word from you two-"

"Really, dear Sango, you're not helping-" Miroku began, right before Sango whirled on him and delivered a sharp slap for all his efforts.

"Fuck this! I'm gonna go out there and give her a piece of my mind!" InuYasha grumbled, and before anyone could stop him, he had thrust the shoji door out of his way and started off across the grassy ground.

As he approached the bath-house, a sense of wrongness descended on the hanyou. There was no light on in the house's one room, and from the smell of it, the bath-house hadn't been used in a while. The sense of wrongness escalated when he saw the pink notepaper fluttering in between the shoji doors. He quickly seized it and turned around, the wrongness rising up to block his throat. _'Dammit, she better not have...she couldn't have...dammit!'_

"KAGOME'S NOT IN THE BATH-HOUSE!" he shouted as soon as he got the door open. Miroku and Sango both jumped, Kirara hissed and Shippou dived for cover.

Miroku was the first to recover. "What do you mean, she's not there?" he asked, his brow furrowing.

InuYasha threw the note down on the floor, running his hands through his silver hair in frustration. "Just what I fuckin' _said!_ I got there and that note was stuck in the door, and there wasn't anyone around!"

"What does it say?" Sango asked, her voice both curious and worried.

InuYasha's ears flattened as some of his anger was replaced by embarrassment. "I...um, I can't read," he admitted.

Miroku reached for the note with one hand while he used the other to seize Shippou's tail in order to stop him from teasing InuYasha. Then, he unfolded the note and began to read, his eyes narrowed. Kagome's Heisei jidai writing was quite different from the writing the houshi knew, but he was able to get the gist of it.

"'My dear friends,'" he read. Everyone fell quiet, a slow sense of doom falling over them with every word falling from the houshi's lips. "'I think most of you have already guessed this, but Mujōna is still awake and getting more powerful by the minute. When I decided to leave, she had just told me that she was almost strong enough to overthrow me and take over again. I don't want to be anywhere near you when that happens again; I've already caused you enough pain. Mujōna's sealing my powers and I don't think she has very good tracking powers, so I shouldn't be able to find you. Please don't follow me. Love you all, Kagome.'"

A dead silence fell over the group as Miroku finished the note. Then, a tremendous growl started up in InuYasha's throat as his lips pulled back to reveal his teeth, ears flattening against his head as his hands clenched into fists.

"She didn't," he finally snarled, eyes flashing dangerously. "She _fuckin' DIDN'T!_"

Without warning the hanyou whirled around. He clawed the shoji door to shreds as he leaped outside, snarling and snuffling as he searched for her scent. Miroku and Sango charged out after him, just in time to watch him dart away, chasing after Kagome's scent.

They finally caught up with him ten minutes later, accosting some poor farmer on the outskirts of the village. InuYasha had seized the man by his collar and had shoved him against the wall of one of the huts. The farmer's eyes were as wide as coins as the hanyou practically breathed down his neck as he barked questions at him.

"Now, now, my friend," Miroku cried, darting forward and dragging InuYasha away from the farmer. "There's no need to be rash!"

Sango set about comforting the accosted farmer, dusting him down and asking, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yes," he stuttered. "I...I think I'll be okay."

Sango nodded, sending a glare to InuYasha as she did so. InuYasha just glared back, looking rather ridiculous since Miroku had restrained him by putting his Shakujou underneath his armpits. "I wuz just asking him if he'd seen Kagome," he grumbled.

"I don't know a Kagome!" the farmer cried.

"In that case," Sango cut in before InuYasha could start shouting again, "could you tell us if you've seen a girl in strange clothing come through here?"

"Oh...oh yes! I sold one of my horses to a strangely dressed young woman," the farmer said.

Silence. Then-

"What?" everyone said in unison.

"She said she needed a horse, so I sold her a horse," the farmer repeated.

Miroku was thrown backwards as InuYasha freed himself from his temporary prison, bellowing like a wounded lion as he darted over to the one path the village possessed, sniffing madly for any sign of Kagome's scent, and growing more paranoid when no scent trail presented itself. If he knew which horse she had bought, he could probably track it...but he didn't. Even if he did know, it was most likely impossible to track, seeing as the horses tramped up and down the path often enough to jumble each scent into a mishmash of scent pools that told nobody anything.

Finally, after the hours of irritation that had led to this revelation, InuYasha exploded.

"HOW THE FUCK COULD SHE DO THIS TO ME?" he yowled, his claws tearing into the ground, the grass-anything that was nearby. "HOW COULD SHE _LEAVE _ME LIKE THIS?" The hanyou's head dropped into his dirt and grass stained hands as something that sounded suspiciously like a sob escaped his throat.

"I can't fail her again...doesn't she understand that? I can't..."

The hanyou trailed off, and the group surrounding him couldn't find the words to comfort him. In truth, they were just as distressed as he was.

* * *

><p>Kagome had to admit it-she was lost. The darkness had closed in around her, blocking everything from sight. However, if she stopped moving, she risked being found by roving youkai or bandits. Then again, if she kept moving, the risk was still there. Either way, she was pretty much screwed.<p>

_'Dammit, how could I do something so stupid?' _she wondered.

_Ooooh, so the little miko turns out to be a cuss-bucket in the dark, _Mujōna laughed. _What's your encore? Murder?_

_'Shut up, please,' _Kagome thought back.

Then, she heard a snap.

At first, she thought it was just an animal. She urged the horse into a swift trot, hoping against hope that it was a raccoon or a fox. Then, the lights jumped out from the surrounding bushes, blinding her with their intensity. The horse whinnied and threatened to buck her off its back.

When her eyes cleared, Kagome realized that the lights were torches, and the people holding them were a group of rag-tag bandits, armed with katanas, spears, and other assorted weapons. Their leader, a man wearing a samurai's helmet and armor, strode forward, his piggy eyes looking Kagome up and down.

"Well well well," he finally guffawed, "Wat's a pretty lookin' ting like yew doin' out here at dis tima night? Ain't ya 'fraid a monstas?" He sounded partially drunk...or maybe like he was from Osaka.

"I...have urgent business in Kyoto," Kagome invented, knowing in her heart that her effort was already futile.

The men laughed, some lifting clay jars to their mouths and taking drafts of whatever was inside of them. "Not anymore, ya don't!" some of them laughed.

"Oooh, ain't had a women in forever! Can't wait..."

"Wonder what's in that strange bag a hers? Mebbe there's valuables innit..."

Kagome tried hard to block out their voices, but they were like drills, boring into her brain and filling her heart with fear. It was ironic that she, who had faced Naraku, hoards of youkai and other terrors, was completely terrified of these normal humans.

Then, the men grabbed the horse's reins and pushed her off as they started the search for loot. Kagome snapped out of her mind-blanking fear and jumped up. A bald, shriveled looking man was pawing through her possessions, while the others kept the horse from rearing and taking flight.

"No-don't!" she cried, running forth and seizing the bald man's arm. This turned out to be a very bad idea, as the bald man slapped her across the face, and several of the other men kicked her until she retreated, gasping and retching as several globs of blood spattered against the ground.

_'Is this my end?' _she wondered.

_Not if I can help it, little girl. Stand back and let a grown-up handle this._

Before Kagome could react, a black cloud exploded in front of her eyes, and then she knew no more._  
><em>

* * *

><p>The men surrounding Kagome backed away uncertainly. The girl there were in the process of torturing had started to laugh, a maniacal laugh that did not suit her. She looked up from her position on the ground, and the men winced. Seasoned as they were with blood and gore, the way her eyes had changed rattled them to the core. They were sure her eyes had been brown when they had first glimpsed them-so why did they blaze a bright, bloodthirsty red now?<p>

"You funny little men think you can kill me?" she laughed, straightening up and dusting herself off. "I have faced bigger and badder men than you; men that would make you scream if you so much as glimpsed them." She wiped some of the blood trailing from her mouth with the back of her hand, studying it as though it held the secrets of the universe within its ruby depths. Then, slowly, lovingly, almost erotically, she licked the blood from the back; but her eyes were mad, crazy, laughing as her tongue cleaned the blood from her hand.

Kagome-or, as she was now, Mujōna-stood up, hands crossed over her chest. Her eyes gazed condescendingly at her would-be rapists and murderers. "Oh-so now that I've decided to take a stand, you fear me?" she asked when she saw the men take another step backwards. "You think li'l ol' _me _can hurt you?" She paused thoughtfully, her brow creasing slightly. "Well, you're probably right," she conceded.

Then, a great _BOOM _sounded from behind them. Most of the men looked like they wanted to cut their losses and run, but their boss kept them still.

"No li'l girl-fing can 'urt us!" he cried. "Tat ting were prolly jus'a...jus'a..."

His voice trailed off as another _BOOM, _this one much closer than the first, reverberated through the forest. Mujōna grinned, her face eerie and demonic. "That, my dear, sweet little bandits, is your death, and my greatest asset." She shivered with apparent pleasure. "Oooh, when I think of _how you will die..._screaming, _writhing _as you fly down to Hell...it makes me so happy..."

The trees behind the bandits creaked and toppled over, as if they had suddenly lost the will to stand. The bandits gasped, and some of them yelled with fear.

The gigantic figure of Kyūna-shi came into the light of the torches, his black fur glistening dully in the light of the fires. **"I have come, Muj****ōna****!" **he crowed, his eternally gaping mouth twisting in a grin. The horse screamed, threw off the men that were holding it and bolted, the sounds of its hooves quickly fading into the night.

"Hello, my dear Kyūna-shi," she replied, red eyes glittering almost fondly. "I have missed you." She looked around at the men, all of whom were completely frozen with fear, their eyes bugging out of their skulls as they stared at Kyūna-shi. "Kyūna-shi, will you give me a present?" she asked, her voice dripping with honey and poison.

**"What do you want?" **he replied.

She strode over to the giant ōkami-youkai, her smile still in place as she looked over at the small band of bandits. "Kill them all," she ordered softly as she stroked his arm-fur.

Kyūna-shi roared with happiness as the men screamed and ran into the surrounding foliage, fierceness and savagery forgotten in favor of survival. The wolf snagged the slowest man with his giant paw and crushed him like a tin can, the _CRUNCH _of bone echoing sickeningly around the small clearing. Kyūna-shi dropped the broken body to the ground and chased after the rest, bellowing, **"Why are you running? The fun's only just begun!"**

Mujōna walked over to the broken body, studying it with interest on her face. She stared into the dead man's foggy eyes, a smile crossing her face as the screams started howling through the forest, followed by more crunching and Kyūna-shi's guttural laughter.

"I think you're the lucky one, you know," she addressed him, her eyes glinting with laughter. "_You _got a nice quick death." She looked up as the last scream echoed across the forest before it cut short. Then, the deep thudding of Kyūna-shi's feet started to approach the clearing, growing louder and louder as he got closer and closer. Mujōna seemed completely unconcerned by this as she spied the wakizashi the dead man was wearing. She had just removed it from his belt when Kyūna-shi returned. The ōkami-youkai was covered from head to toe in blood, and he was carrying three of the dead men under one of his great arms.

**"They're all dead, Muj****ōna****," **he announced, swiping his free hand across his red eyes as he studied her. **"Why did you want me to kill them? Not that I didn't appreciate it, but it seems a bit odd."**

"They annoyed me," she replied. "Did you enjoy yourself, Kyūna-shi?

Kyūna-shi sighed.**"No fun at all. None of them wanted to fight me. They taste better when they fight me."**

Mujōna turned to him, her eyebrow raised. "You didn't seem so pleased when InuYasha was fighting you."

Kyūna-shi scowled as he flopped down on the ground. Taking one of the dead men in both paws, the ōkami-youkai started on his gristly feast. **"Well, I didn't want to eat him," **he grumbled. **"That, and he wounded me."**

Mujōna drew the sword from its sheath, studying it with great interest. "Kyūna-shi, life would be no fun if we didn't get hurt every now and then. Think about it: if you defeated every enemy you ever came across without breaking a sweat, it would get boring, wouldn't it?"

Kyūna-shi thought about this for a moment, a strip of flesh dangling from his open jaws. **"I suppose you're right," **he conceded. Then, he dusted his claws off, snapped the meat up into his mouth and looked over at Mujōna. **"So what now?" **

Mujōna ignored him in favor of looking at the wakizashi. "This wakizashi is brand new," she murmured, bringing the sword down and running a finger down its gleaming length. "It hasn't tasted battle yet." Without looking, she reached down and removed the cloth belt that had kept the dead man's hakama up, and wrapped it about her own waist, tucking the wakizashi's sheath into it. Then, she turned to Kyūna-shi, her red eyes shining.

"Kyūna-shi, I want to break this wakizashi in," she informed him.

The ōkami-youkai grinned ghoulishly at her, crossing the field so that he was standing directly in front of her. His paws squashed the bones of the devoured as he walked across them, but he paid them no heed. **"Does that mean we'll get to murder more people, Muj****ōna****?" **he asked eagerly.

Mujōna turned to face him, her eyes shining fiercely with blood-lust. "Oh, yes, my dear Kyūna-shi," she purred. "Starting with the village that this stupid miko _so foolishly _fled from this very night."

Kyūna-shi tilted his head at her, confused. **"She fled? Why did she run?"**

The youkai in miko's clothing sighed. "She thought she was protecting her friends by fleeing," she told him. "Stupid girl. As if her running away would change the fact that we would be the ones to end their lives. All it will do is prolong their suffering," Mujōna intoned with absolute relish coating each and every word.

Kyūna-shi's eyes lit up as an idea struck him. **"If InuYasha and his gang are still there, can I kill them?"**

Mujōna shook her head slowly. "They won't be there, Kyūna-shi," she told him. "They will be too busy trying to track her down." Then, her eyes began to glow. "Instead, we shall lead them down a road stained with blood, torturing them every step of the way, InuYasha especially." Mujōna's eyes lit up with a manic light as she began to imagine the blood-stained future ahead of her, as well as what she would do to InuYasha when she got the chance.

"I'm going to make that hanyou _suffer,_" she purred, her hands twisting about the wakizashi's sheath as her eyes widened to their fullest extent. "He will _writhe, _he will _scream, _he will _beg _like the dog he is! When I get through with him, he will beg for death, completely broken. The tortures I will put him through will make the first two hundred years of his life seem like a _paradise,_" she hissed, her body shivering with pleasure again. "Naraku-sama would have it no other way; the _ultimate revenge,_" she added. Then, she seemed to get a hold of herself; Mujōna sheathed the sword and gestured for Kyūna-shi to pick her up, her face back in her normal 'smug-mode.'

When she had settled upon his shoulder, Mujōna leaned over and whispered in her companion's pointed ear. "Go north, Kyūna-shi. Tonight we start painting the map of Nippon red with blood!"


	17. Battle in the Burning Village

The forest was as black as midnight dipped in tar; a heavy cloud cover blocked the light of the moon and stars, and the group had no torches to their name (Kirara's foot-flames only went so far, after all). Kagome probably had a flashlight with her, but since she had taken her backpack with her when she had run away, the rest of the group was out of luck.

What made tracking Kagome even harder than the lack of light was InuYasha's outrage and heartbreak over the fact that she had run away from him. He showed these emotions by plowing relentlessly through the trees like a bulldozer, sometimes plowing right through a tree-trunk if it happened to lie in his path, cursing up a storm as he did so. On the occasions that Miroku and Sango had tried to hold the hanyou back, they had been thrown away like they weighed no more than a bundle of feathers each. So, the humans attempted to search while also keeping an eye on InuYasha to make sure he didn't do anything stupid.

Shippou sat upon Kirara's back, the two of them traveling in the air in an attempt to see over the dark landscape. They had a little more success, since Kirara's feet blazed with fire, but it was still hard going. The kitsune was sniffling every so often, great pearly tears trailing out of his eyes like they had been doing since he had learned that his mother-figure had run away from the rest of the group. But he, like the others, had decided to search for Kagome until the Earth turned cold and the stars fell from the sky.

Then, just when the search had stretched into its second hour, Shippou saw a bright orange light flare up in the forest. Tail poofing up in alarm, he directed Kirara down, landing her right beside Miroku and Sango.

"There's something over there!" he cried, pointing toward the West. "I think it might be a fire!"

Miroku and Sango both stopped moving, and a few seconds later, InuYasha appeared beside them, his breathing ragged and his eyes glowing dangerously. "A fire?" Sango asked.

Shippou nodded. "There's a bright orange light way over there," he affirmed, pointing again. The youkai taijiya jumped onto her nekomata, quickly followed by the houshi. The four of them headed up into the sky. When the two humans saw the orange light in the distance, they confirmed Shippou's original suspicions.

"There's a fire over in the West, InuYasha!" Miroku shouted down to his hanyou companion. "It could be a lead! Follow us!"

InuYasha didn't reply, but they could hear the pounding of his feet upon the Earth as they all sped off toward the orange light.

* * *

><p>By that time of night, most of the villagers had settled down to sleep, wrapped up as best they could to defend themselves from the chill of what they thought would be a stormy night, seeing as the sky had gotten all cloudy.<p>

Then, there came the thudding of distant feet upon the path. At first, it sounded so distant that most of the villagers who had come awake at the sound thought it was many miles off. But the moments went by and the sounds of feet became louder and louder, escalating into great _BOOMS _of noise. Fully roused now, the men of the village quickly set about getting the women, children and elderly to safety before gathering up bows, spears, bamboo poles and whatever other weapons came to hand, ringing the bell in the center of the village as a warning to whomever was still unawares that danger was coming and lighting torches so they could see in the dark. Then, every able male in the village stood ready upon the village path, facing the darkness with expressions ranging from apprehension to grim acceptance stamped upon their faces.

Two red eyes appeared in the midst of the dark night opposite from the warm glow of the torches. The men tensed. The sight of red eyes was never a good one.

A giant foot-paw stepped out of the darkness, followed quickly by its twin. Slowly, bit by bit, the torches illuminated the giant wolf-man who stepped out of the darkness, his fists coming to rest upon the ground, his mouth open in a permanent, gaping leer as he regarded the men from his superior height.

**"Torches, weapons and all the men I could want. To what do I owe this honor?" **Kyūna-shi asked sarcastically, though the joy was evident in his voice.

A man who appeared to be in his late thirties stepped forward. Though he was visibly shaking, he clearly put on a brave show as he declared, "This is a peaceful village, youkai. Leave now or we will be forced to slay you!"

A high, almost sweet laugh came from the ōkami-youkai's shoulder. Mujōna leaped down from her high perch, landing neatly and lightly on the tips of her toes. The possessed miko gazed at them all with a superior air. "_You_ kill _us?_ You pathetic little farmers whose only experience with bloodshed is when they cut themselves with their own tools!" she mocked, her face twisting in a sneer.

The man who stood across from her let the head of his spear drop down, his face becoming confused. "But...but aren't you the girl who was with that one group? What are you doing with this youkai?"

Mujōna raised an eyebrow, as if the question were somehow stupid and insulting. "Doing?"

Suddenly, Mujōna drew her wakizashi, moving so quickly that the other villagers couldn't even lift a finger. With the same look on her face all the while, she drove the short sword deep into the unfortunate villager's heart. The man choked and gasped, blood streaming out of his mouth as Mujōna lovingly twisted the sword, watching the blood pool around its blade with fascination. She leaned in close to her victim, her lips by his ear as she murmured, "I'm here to slaughter you, dumbass." Then, she leaped backward, the unfortunate man collapsing in a steadily growing pool of his own blood. His fellows yelled with pain and fury and promptly charged forward, weapons bristling and torches shining. Completely unconcerned by this, the youkai/miko stepped back and shouted, "Kill them all, Kyūna-shi! I don't want to see _any _survivors, do you understand?"

Kyūna-shi's answer was a howl of joy as he leaped forward, fists swinging and claws bristling. The men fell before him like chaff before a scythe, blood spurting and bones crunching. Mujōna did her fair share, too, grabbing fallen torches and flinging them onto the huts. The dry and oftentimes ancient wood easily caught fire, the blaze driving what few inhabitants there were inside out into the open, where they then fell to Mujōna's sword or Kyūna-shi's claws and teeth.

Soon, most of the men lay dead beneath their feet, their faces fixed in horrible grimaces, the village blazing all around them. Mixed in with the carcasses of the protectors were the women and children who had tried and failed to run away. What few people remained were being swiftly hunted down by Kyūna-shi, their screams mingling strangely with the crackling of the fires and the occasional _CRUNCH _of bones. Mujōna, meanwhile, was standing in the midst of the carnage, her wakizashi dripping scarlet as the innocent blood trailed down the silver blade to fall onto the ground. Her host's once pristine uniform was spattered with blood, as was her face. Mujōna's mouth was stretched in the most horrible of grins as she lifted the scarlet sword up to her mouth and ran her tongue along it, savoring the taste of the fear and hate that her victims' blood radiated, her body quivering as she sated her addiction for blood and pain.

"Yes...yes, this is truly what it is all about," she whispered. "This is what raising Hell on Earth should be like...Oooh, it makes me _shiver..._this happy feeling..."

But, though her face was happy, a constant waterfall of tears poured from both eyes, and, deep within the darkness of Mujōna's hijacked body, unheard and unseen by anyone, there came the sound of an innocent girl, who had never harmed a human in her life, sobbing pitifully as she took in the carnage that lay before her, most of which had been done by her own hand. The poor woman had been forced to watch, unable to stop herself, as she raised her hand and slew person after person, throwing torches onto huts to drive innocents out into the open, slaying people who begged for their lives without care for what they were saying, refusing to grant women their wishes of sparing their children, watching as her hands were drenched scarlet with innocent blood.

While Mujōna laughed, Kagome screamed.

* * *

><p>The fire had not yet had the chance to spread very far when InuYasha and his friends arrived at the clearing. It looked like some torches had fallen to the ground, some of them igniting the grass and sending flames along the ground to lick at the roots of the trees. A few handfulls of dirt and a few stomps were enough to put the torches out.<p>

"Who would have let torches drop here, especially seeing as it's the middle of the night?" Sango wondered, her foot carefully nudging a smoking section of grass.

"Perhaps they were afraid of something," Miroku mused as his violet eyes carefully scanned the trees for any signs of activity. "Or, perhaps, needed to douse them for some reason..."

InuYasha sniffed around the edges of the clearing, but so far all he was getting was the scent of burned grass and plants, which was making his nose itch far too much for his liking. He sneezed, coughed, and growled, "Dammit, I wish there was some wind or something. This fuckin' smoke is makin' me sneeze."

Shippou squinted in the darkness, trying to make out something that could be a clue, but failing, since Kirara's foot-flames had gone out upon her landing and shrinking back down to portable size. Then, a thought came to the kitsune, a thought that made him feel rather stupid upon its entrance into his head.

_'My kitsune-bi! How could pull an InuYasha and forget something so obvious?' _Shippou chastised himself, holding open a small hand as he did so. "Kitsune-bi!" he cried, and flung his hand up into the air. The green-blue flame popped into existence, illuminating a small circle of light about the kitsune-including the broken body of a dead bandit that lay just five inches away from his foot-paws.

"WAAAAAH! THERE'S A DEAD GUY OVER HERE!" Shippou screamed, leaping backwards, the flame following him silently. The others, instantly roused by the kitsune's cry, came over to look. The man had been dead for an hour or two, his body crushed by some unimaginable force. His face was fixed in a look of pure terror; whatever had killed him had made a frightful impression on the poor man.

"It's almost like...almost like something just picked him up and _crushed him,_" Sango whispered. Sure, the taijiya had seen many dead bodies over the course of her chosen profession, but she had never seen someone who had been crushed like a bug before.

"Whatever it was had to be pretty large to accomplish such a feat," Miroku observed, his voice cool, despite the fire blazing angrily in his eyes. The houshi never liked to see a life wasted, whether it was a princess or a bandit who met such an awful fate. Whoever, or more likely, _what_ever had killed the bandit had just picked him up, killed him, and tossed him away like he hadn't mattered at all.

InuYasha didn't comment; he had crept up close to the body and was sniffing it carefully, eyes narrowed. Without warning, the hanyou jumped up, darting over to Shippou and picking him up with both hands.

"Runt, make the light brighter-_make it brighter, do you hear me?_" he hissed, eyes frantic.

Shippou didn't argue. Wriggling out of InuYasha's grasp, the kitsune conjured up more of the eerie lights, sending them dancing all about the clearing.

The group gasped at the sight that was revealed to them.

More dead bandits littered the edges of the clearing, some of them twisted and broken like the poor fellow in the center, others covered in fang and claw marks. What made scene even worse, however, were the fresh bones and scraps of flesh that littered one particular edge of the clearing, some which looked like they had been trampled by giant paws.

Or, to be more specific, a giant _ōkami__'s _paws.

"Kyūna-shi!" InuYasha growled. "It's Kyūna-shi's scent! And..."

InuYasha's voice trailed off as a new scent wound its way tantalizingly to his nose, making his eyes widen in terror. "...K-Kagome..." he whispered.

"What?" the others cried.

"What do you _mean, _Kagome?" Sango asked frantically. InuYasha turned to her, eyes blazing with a fierce blend of emotions.

"She was _here. _But...but her scent is all _wrong..._" the hanyou whined, sniffing again and again, trying to prove his infallible nose wrong. But there was no denying it; now that the smoke had dissipated somewhat, Kyūna-shi and Kagome's scents were undeniable.

"Then...Mujōna has taken control of her again," Miroku said quietly.

InuYasha's face worked furiously, fighting between anger, sorrow and fear. Before he could even think of something to say, Shippou (who had moved to the edge of the clearing furthest from the bodies) looked up, confused.

"Do you guys hear something?" he asked, brow furrowing.

"Hear what, Shippou?" Sango asked distractedly.

"It sounds like a bell," he replied, darting partway up a tree to see if he could hear better. Then, Kirara hissed and fluffed herself up agitatedly, her red eyes moving in the same direction as Shippou was facing. At the same time, a shiver of awareness ran down InuYasha's back, causing him to stand up straight, ears coming to attention on his head. Now that he was focusing, he too could hear the faint sounds of a bell-but not just any bell.

"It's a fuckin' warning bell!" he yelled, jumping to his feet. "The village back there is under attack!"

With cries of alarm, the others darted towards the edge of the clearing, Kirara transforming again so the humans could ride her and hasten their approach to the village.

"Dammit, they must've been heading in the other direction while we were searching for Kagome!" InuYasha swore, darting through the woods as quickly as he was able, guided by Shippou's kitsune-bi (the kitsune was sitting on his shoulder so it would be easier for him to conjure the fire).

"We'll just have to hope that we get there in time!" Miroku shouted back as Sango urged Kirara onwards.

The group sped through the forest, but there was no denying the dread that lay over their hearts...the kind of dread that came when they knew in the depths of their souls that they were far, far too late to save anybody.

* * *

><p>Mujōna was admiring the carnage that lay in the aftermath of the village's massacre. She absolutely <em>loved <em>the look of the place; the huts all aflame, the people laying on the ground in varying positions of agony, the way the blood pooling in the dirt glimmered in the light of the flames..._'Oooh, yes...I do like a good session of murder,' _she thought.

Kyūna-shi didn't really care about the way the village looked; he was too busy tearing into a small pile of victims that he had decided looked 'the most flavorful.' He was on his third helping now, his muzzle and claws stained with blood, his eyes glinting with satisfaction. If time had allowed it, the giant ōkami-youkai would have stayed in the village until the meat supply either ran out or rotted. Unfortunately, they would probably have to be on their way soon.

Then, the wind gusted mournfully over the village, making the flames dance and causing ripples to move across the pools of blood. Kyūna-shi paused, lowering his kill as he sniffed, red eyes narrowing. The ōkami stood up, letting his half-finished corpse fall to the ground with a _SPLAT _as he sniffed more deeply. Mujōna noticed this and headed over to her cohort, eyes narrowing slightly.

"What do you smell, Kyūna-shi?" she asked, one hand tangling in his black fur.

**"The wind reeks of dog," **Kyūna-shi growled, fangs grinding together as his fists clenched. **"The half-breed approaches."**

Mujōna didn't look frightened or worried by this news; instead, she looked mildly interested. "Oh. I _wondered _where they had went." A smug smile crossed her face as a new thought came to her. "They must have chased after my dumbass host when she ran away from the village. Remind me to thank her; it made slaughtering this village _that much easier._"

Kyūna-shi looked grumpy for a few moments before his face lit up with a cruel light. **"Can I kill him? I want revenge for our loss the other night."**

The youkai/miko shook her head. "No, not yet. They haven't suffered enough yet." She raised her finger when it looked like ōkami-youkai was going to complain. "That doesn't mean you can't seriously injure him, though. Just think about it; you wound him, we leave him for a few days, he gets better, and then we can do it again! A never-ending cycle of pain."

A dark leer crossed Kyūna-shi's face as he imagined the scenario Mujōna presented. **"'A never-ending cycle of pain...'" **he repeated, **"I like it!"**

Mujōna smiled knowingly. "I knew you would. Now, I'm going to hide somewhere. You stand out here and wait for them, and when they come, rough them up a little, but _do not kill them._"

**"Why are you going to hide? Aren't you going to help me?" **the ōkami asked, a little put out.

"Oh, I will, if I think you need it," she replied. "However, if InuYasha's stupid fold can't see me, they'll be driven out of their _minds _with worry. In my experience (or at least, Naraku-sama's experience) people are less likely to concentrate on a battle if they're worried about someone." With that, Mujōna turned on her heel and headed toward the depths of the flaming village, her small form quickly vanishing amidst the smoke and flame.

Kyūna-shi moved toward the entrance of the village, scooping up his dropped kill as he did so. He got into a comfortable position, his back resting against the downed bell-tower, and resumed his meal, waiting for InuYasha and his group to arrive at the village so the real fun could begin.

Fifteen minutes later, as Kyūna-shi was crunching down on what he suspected had been a thigh-bone, he saw the tell-tale flames that signified their flying neko thing heading swiftly toward the destroyed village. Kyūna-shi sighed-he did so hate when meals got interrupted-and got to his feet. He quickly gobbled down the remains of the human and wiped his claws on his hakama. Then, he rested his fists on the ground, eyes fixed on the flames that were steadily growing brighter and brighter.

* * *

><p>When InuYasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara arrived at the village, their worst fears were confirmed. Most of the huts had gone up in flames, the heat hitting them in a fierce wave as black smoke billowed upwards to join the equally black sky. The bit of ground they could see was covered with blood and bodies. However, the rest of their view was obscured by Kyūna-shi's massive girth. The ōkami-youkai was standing at the entrance to the village like it was a tomb and he was its guardian; though the blood drenching his fur and hakama told a different story. The group slowly formed a small half-circle around the giant youkai, Miroku leaping off Kirara's back so he could stand beside InuYasha. Kyūna-shi, however, looked unimpressed by their angry faces.<p>

**"Took you long enough to get here," **he taunted, eyes glinting with malicious joy as he took in the group's general look of horror as they watched the village burn. **"I thought I was going to have to start to play war with some of these corpses. The dead aren't as fun to play with as the living are," **he stated matter-of-factly.

"You...you sick mother-fucker," InuYasha hissed, his hand white-knuckling Tetsusaiga. "_Why _in the seven hells did you come back to this village?"

**"Because Muj****ōna**** told me to kill them," **Kyūna-shi replied. **"Whatever she says, I obey." **The ōkami's gaping mouth stretched in a joyful sneer as he added, **"Though I probably would have done it anyway. Consider it payback for what you did to me and Muj****ōna**** in the forest."**

"If you had a problem with us, you should have taken it up _with us!_" Miroku shouted, his normally composed face ablaze with rage. "You didn't have to involve innocent people!"

Kyūna-shi just shrugged. **"Why not? If it makes you want to fight me even more, then let innocents die. Plus, they tend to taste better than warriors. Softer and easier to chew."**

The effect of that simple sentence was sickening. Even InuYasha felt nauseous, to say nothing of how the humans were feeling.

"...You are a _sick, SICK BASTARD!" _InuYasha finally hissed, drawing Tetsusaiga in a fluid motion and charging toward Kyūna-shi. At the same time, Sango and Kirara approached from the left, Miroku approached from the right, and Shippou jumped off InuYasha's shoulder and fled into the night. Later, he would invent the excuse that he didn't want to be in the way, but the truth was that the kitsune was absolutely _terrified _of Kyūna-shi.

**"Pathetic! I've seen **_**children **_**use better attack tactics than this!" **the giant roared. With a speed that belied his size, he swung one of his lanky legs out in a circle, knocking the mens' legs out from under them and sending them crashing to the ground. Rising quickly, Kyūna-shi swung his fist in a vicious uppercut that caught Kirara's chin, sending her spinning into one of the flaming buildings.

"SANGO!" Miroku cried, the pain in his legs forgotten as he watched the burning hut shudder, then groan before it creaked and collapsed about the fallen pair. If the houshi had been angry before, he was absolutely _livid _when he turned to face Kyūna-shi, eyes blazing like purple flames. The ōkami-youkai seemed unconcerned by the death glare he was receiving, concentrating instead upon deflecting InuYasha's attack for a third time, sending the hanyou crashing backwards once again. Miroku saw his chance and seized it with both hands. The houshi drove his Shakujou deep into the ground, his left hand going to the sky blue beads that bound the right as he held out his fist.

"KAZAANA!" he roared, and let the beads fly. The Kazaana was unleashed, its full fury focused upon Kyūna-shi. His size meant that the cursed hole in the houshi's hand wouldn't have as much of an effect on him as it did on smaller youkai, but it was slowly and surely dragging him to his doom. But still, Kyūna-shi looked unconcerned, driving his fists into the ground as rocks, broken boards, some flames and quite a few bodies (for whom the houshi would say a prayer later) were sucked into oblivion.

Then, Miroku caught a flash of something green and white darting out of one of the flaming buildings. An instant later, Kagome was soaring towards him in a manner reminiscent of their second meeting in that village long before. Miroku's eyes widened with shock as he wrapped the Kazaana up before it sucked his friend up, pelting him with a rain of rocks and boards as the winds died down. Then, before he could react, Kagome, who was now upon him, had swung her legs up and kicked him as hard as she could in the midriff, driving the air out of the houshi and nearly knocking him out (and most certainly knocking him over).

"You trusting dumbass," Mujōna purred, stepping deliberately off the houshi's chest and dusting herself off. "You _know _that I'm possessing Kagome, and yet you _still _close your Kazaana when she's in danger! You humans _will never _fail to amuse me!"

Like lightning, Mujōna drew the wakizashi she wore at her waist and drove it into the houshi's upper left arm, not deep enough to pierce bone, but deep enough to _hurt. _Mujōna crouched over the houshi's cringing form, reveling in his drawn and pale features.

"_Painful, _isn't it? Even warriors like yourself can't help but _cringe _when I toy with your nerves," she giggled, slowly moving the sword until the blade began to slice through more of his flesh, widening the wound and causing Miroku to cry out in pain.

"Did you think you could just _suck in _my dear Kyūna-shi and I _wouldn't _do something about it?" Mujōna hissed, pulling the sword harder as she watched the houshi's dark purple robes become even darker as blood began to flow out of the wound. "No, my dear, naïve _friend, _you were wrong there. I am not Naraku-sama; there's only a limited number of people whom I'm willing to sacrifice."

"I'm...I'm guessing...that we are _not _a part of that number?" Miroku gritted out, glaring at the woman kneeling over him, but unable to do any more than that. He just couldn't seem to bring himself to strike out at the exceedingly delicate form of Kagome, no matter _how _contorted Mujōna's presence made her look.

"Of course not; I'm more than _willing _to offer you up when the time comes," she told him. Her face took on a very demonic air as she grinned evilly at him. However, Miroku could see that her eyes were sparkling not only with ambition and lust, but with unshed tears. Dumbstruck, he watched as the tears overfilled her eyes, trailing down her cheeks and dripping onto her blood spattered shirt. At first, he thought Mujōna was crying with joy, and yet...and yet...

_'No...those are NOT Muj__ōna__'s tears,' _he realized. She would have realized that she was crying and wiped the tears away, wouldn't she? Or at least commented on it. The fact that she did neither could only mean one thing: it was _Kagome _who was crying, and her sorrow was great enough to bleed through whatever means Mujōna was using to keep her under lock and key within her own body.

_'Kagome-sama,' _Miroku thought, his own face becoming more composed in the face of this revelation, _'You...you have been forced to watch this youkai commit great evils while wearing your flesh...it hurts you so much, doesn't it? Your heart is truly kind, after all...'_

"K-Kagome-sama," he gasped, "Forgive me!"

With that, Miroku swung his cursed fist up as hard as he could, narrowly missing Mujōna as she jumped back, pulling out her wakizashi as she did so. The blood gushed forth from Miroku's wound, soaking his robes and dribbling down his arm. "Serves you right for trying to hit me," Mujōna told him. "Now, onto business." With that, she turned away from the incapacitated houshi and vanished into the night once more, her wakizashi drawn and her face filled with anticipation.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, InuYasha was still fighting the somewhat elusive Kyūna-shi. The giant wolf was just as quick as he remembered, but InuYasha knew that in the close confines of the burning village, he, the smaller one, had the advantage over Kyūna-shi. Not only that, but the ōkami wasn't using his persuasion power thing like he had before.<p>

"So have you decided to fight me like a _real _man?" InuYasha taunted, swinging Tetsusaiga in a wide arc as he attempted to strike one of Kyūna-shi's foot-paws.

**"If you are referring to my powers, I do not need them!" **Kyūna-shi declared, swinging his great fist in a vicious swipe that caught the flat of Tetsusaiga's blade and sent InuYasha spinning away yet again. **"You appear to have weakened, InuYasha. Why do you not use your blade's powers, or your claws? Can it be that the sight of all this carnage has somehow unhinged you? Is your nose addled with the smell of human blood?"**

InuYasha, stung by the taunts, growled angrily as he raised Tetsusaiga, pointing the blade's tip at Kyūna-shi's chest. "All right, that fuckin' does it! If you know any prayers, say 'em now, fuckin' ōkami!" As he spoke, he could smell the Kaze-no-Kizu beginning to wrap itself around Tetsusaiga's blade. His eyes narrowed as he focused on Kyūna-shi's massive form.

**"You **_**are **_**as much of an idiot as they say, aren't you?" **Kyūna-shi observed lazily.

InuYasha raised the katana above his head, growling, "I don't listen to _dead __ōkami__s, _baka."

**"You are; only a **_**true **_**idiot would LEAVE HIS BACK OPEN TO ATTACK!" **the ōkami-youkai roared. No sooner had the words left his mouth than InuYasha felt something stab clean through his right shoulder. Yelping aloud, InuYasha nearly dropped the Tetsusaiga as the point of a wakizashi emerged from his right shoulder, sending a small stream of blood trickling down his side.

"Like I told your houshi friend," a familiar but twisted voice whispered, "I would _never _let my dear ōkami-friend be harmed."

InuYasha's back stiffened as the voice sent shivers crawling up his spine. No, it _couldn't _be! Sure, he knew Kagome had been possessed, but...she couldn't have!

Mujōna pulled the sword out of InuYasha's shoulder, sending blood spattering against the ground and upon her shirt as she did so. InuYasha whirled around, one hand clenching Tetsusaiga, the other trying to hold his shoulder wound closed. His golden eyes widened when he saw Kagome, covered head to toe in blood, smiling at him with all the kindness of a bloodthirsty youkai. InuYasha couldn't help but to back away a step. It was _wrong, _the image of Kagome that stood before him. She should _never _look like that. It was just _wrong._

"Kyūna-shi is right, you know," she told him, running her finger along the blade before lifting the same finger to her lips, "You _really _shouldn't leave your back open to attack."

InuYasha growled, but said nothing. There was nothing _for _him to say.

Mujōna took a step forward, the wakizashi pointed at InuYasha's heart. "Oh, does the noble hanyou have no words to spare for a poor little girl? Not even a curse or an oath? I'm disappointed." As she stepped forward, he stepped back, unwilling to harm the girl in front of him.

"A coward too, are we?" she mocked, her teeth flashing in the light of the blazing village. "It's only to be expected of a hanyou such as yourself."

"Fuck you," InuYasha growled, hating himself for saying it to Kagome's face. _'Dammit, what can I do?'_

Mujōna raised an eyebrow. "Is that the best you can do? Pathetic." She swung the wakizashi at the hanyou, who parried with Tetsusaiga's hilt, though there wasn't much energy in the block when he did so. "Weak, idiotic little nobody hanyou," she taunted, swinging the sword again. InuYasha cringed as she sliced the tip off of his left ear. It stung a little and started bleeding, but other than that the injury wasn't so grievous. He kept up his steady retreat, trying desperately to figure out how to stop Mujōna without hurting Kagome.

"I _will _find a way to stop you, bitch," he growled. "An' when I get you out of Kagome's body, you'll be _sorry._"

"Hmm...well, I can't see you getting me out of this body any time soon," Mujōna informed him. "_Especially _since you're about to become incapacitated."

"What the fu-" InuYasha's ears twitched as a swishing sound started up behind him. Too late he realized that Mujōna had backed him up into Kyūna-shi's waiting grasp. The giant youkai's paw came down and snatched the hanyou from where he stood, lifting him high above the ground. His arms pinned to his sides, Tetsusaiga clutched uselessly in his right hand, it was all InuYasha could do to try and look fearsome while in Kyūna-shi's deadly grasp.

"Slow learner, aren't you?" Mujōna asked him, gleefully studying InuYasha's struggling form as he tried and failed to get out of Kyūna-shi's paw. "Falling for the same trick _twice. _I mean, _come on_; that's lame even for _you!_"

"You fuckin' _cheat_!" InuYasha growled, fangs flashing as he snarled and snapped wildly. "Kyūna-shi, why don't ya fight me like a fuckin' _man, _huh, you fuckin' _coward?_"

**"Because I am not a man. I am an ****ōkami****," **Kyūna-shi stated, red eyes blazing at the back of InuYasha's head. **"We don't tend to play by the rules."**

Mujōna laughed at her companion's response, then faked a large, loud yawn. "Oooh, all this is _sooo _boring," she moaned. "I think it's time we move on, Kyūna-shi."

**"Already? But there's still so much human flesh left!" **he grumped, ears flattening against his head.

The possessed miko shook her head. "No, no, I'm afraid we really do have to be going now, Kyūna-shi. However, we can leave InuYasha a little..._present._" Mujōna's eyes glimmered with enthusiasm as she watched the hanyou struggle even harder, resorting to using his fangs to tear and snap at the giant hand-paw that was holding him. "Oh Inu_Yasha_!" she called, her voice ringing out sarcastically. InuYasha's head snapped up, his eyes fixated on Mujōna's face. She walked a little closer, eyes gleaming maliciously as she intoned her final sentence with pleasureable anticipation dripping from each and every word: "I do hope you enjoy your present."

Then Kyūna-shi's fist began to close. Tighter and tighter the furry fingers began to wind about the hanyou's chest and arms. InuYasha tried to use his arms as a counterbalance to the increasing pressure, but the way Kyūna-shi was holding him meant it was next to impossible to apply any real pressure to his prison. The squeezing quickly became more than even the hanyou could bear; any real human in that situation would have been long dead by that point. The growl of pain that was reverberating in his throat erupted into a full-on yowl as the bone in his upper right arm snapped with a wet _CRACK_, followed by a succession of little pops as several of the hanyou's ribs followed suit. As each bone broke, the hanyou yelled and howled, his eyes shut tightly as he fought against the pain and pressure.

"That's enough, Kyūna-shi," Mujōna called, grinning wickedly as her eyes roved over the hanyou's pale face. "We don't want to kill him-yet."

**"But I wasn't done yet," **Kyūna-shi complained. **"Can't I break just a few more bones? Can't I?"**

"No, Kyūna-shi," she sighed, shaking her head as though she were telling a child he couldn't have more dessert. "You've broken enough of his bones for one night. I don't think he'll be following us for a while. Drop him."

The ōkami grumbled, but complied, opening his paw and letting InuYasha fall to the ground. The hanyou had enough presense of mind to land on his feet, though he swayed unsteadily, sweat beading on his face as he fought the pain each broken bone caused him. Kyūna-shi backed away from him, saying, **"Be grateful, hanyou. We are gracious enough to spa-"**

Just then, the collapsed building somewhere behind them exploded into a shower of sparks and flaming wood. Sango, who had used her Hiraikotsu as a sheild when the hut had collapsed around her, now charged out of the wreckage of the hut, having finally managed to get the burning wood out of her way. Kirara was hot on her heels, her fanged mouth fixed in a snarl as they both charged. The youkai taijiya let out a loud war-cry as she drew her own wakizashi and drove it deep into the broad back of Kyūna-shi before either of her enemies could react.

**"AAAARH! YOU BITCH!" **he roared, his long arms waving as he tried and failed to get Sango off his back. The taijiya, meanwhile, was using her weight to slice open a long wound on Kyūna-shi's lower back, each inch gained causing a roar of pain to erupt from his maw.

"Get off him, you-you stupid little girl!" Mujōna shrieked, charging forward with her sword raised. Kirara changed direction midcharge and pounced on her friend, pinning her to the ground with one powerful paw, her saber fangs mere inches from her throat, more to keep her down than to actually threaten her.

"InuYasha! If you can run, get out of here!" Sango yelled as she let her hidden blade pop out of its sleeve, using it to tear deeper into the ōkami's back. "I think I can hold them off!"

InuYasha pushed himself up, using the downed bell-tower to help him as he did so. He was panting hard, blood dripping from his mouth in harmony with every breath. His broken arm dangled uselessly at his side; he'd had to switch Tetsusaiga to his good hand, meaning his wound was now flowing freely. His broken ribs were causing Kami-knew what kinds of havoc within his system-but it was bad enough that his vision was starting to blur. _'Damn...they got me good,' _he conceded, fighting hard just to keep his balance, let alone walk. _'Maybe I should retreat...but...!'_

"I'm...I'm not gonna run away!" he gritted out, slowly dragging one foot out, then the other as he made his way toward his foes. "Not...not without...not without Kagome!" With that, InuYasha lifted his Tetsusaiga in his good hand, ignoring the blood that gushed from his wound and the many jabs of pain from his broken bones as he charged forward, intent on getting in one last hit. As he ran, Tetsusaiga's blade flashed, pulsed, then dimmed as the blade became a brilliant fragmented diamond, sparkling eerily as the fires danced on the bejewelled blade.

"KOUNGOUSOUHA!" he roared as he swung the blade as hard and as fast as he could. The brilliant diamond spears ripped through the night, sparkling as they tore towards their target. Since she had heard InuYasha's yell, Sango had managed to hit the dirt just in time to dodge the spears. Kyūna-shi, however, wasn't so lucky. He bellowed with pain as several spears caught him in the shoulder, waist and upper leg, the rest spraying to either side of him and destroying the remains of the huts that fell in their paths.

However, Kirara caught one in the upper flank of her left foreleg; yowling, she jumped away, trying hard to catch the diamond splinter with her teeth and freeing the trapped youkai/miko as she did so. Mujōna jumped up, her eyes glittering with outrage as she kicked viciously out at the nekomata, catching the diamond shard and pushing it deeper into the giant cat's shoulder. Ignoring her yowls of pain, Mujōna turned to look at the giant wolf-man, her eyes growing impossibly red with anger when she saw the diamond spears sticking out of Kyūna-shi's left side, blood trailing out from around each and every one.

"Kyūna-shi, start retreating! I'll follow you!" she yelled at him, sheathing her wakizashi as she whirled around to face InuYasha and Sango, though she thought she could see Miroku dragging himself to his feet, one hand clamped around the profusely bleeding wound in his left arm as he slowly staggered towards his friends. "I have a message for these fucking bastards," she hissed.

Kyūna-shi grunted his understanding and slowly hobbled away. Mujōna ran towards the group, pushing Sango away and coming to a halt in front of InuYasha. The hanyou was in bad shape. His last attack had taken what dregs of his strength InuYasha had possessed at the time. His golden eyes were heavy lidded and dull, his breathing ragged, uneven and punctuated with coughs that forced blood up through his throat. His right arm was soaked in blood from his bone breaking through his skin, and the wound she herself had given him was bleeding badly. How the hanyou was still standing after the ass-kicking he had received, Mujōna couldn't figure. But he was standing, though unsteadily, still holding his Tetsusaiga in his uninjured hand, even forcing his eyes to focus upon the figure standing in front of him.

"You...bitch..." he gurgled, blood frothing out of his mouth to dribble down his chin. "...get...out of...Kagome's...body."

Mujōna ignored him in favor of seizing two fist-fulls of the hanyou's bloodsoaked haori, bringing his face up close to his.

"The death I was planning for you earlier this day was _nothing, _absolutely _nothing _compared to what I am planning for you _now,_" she hissed, her voice deathly serious, devoid of any emotion save for anger. "How dare you, _how dare you _injure my dear Kyūna-shi! How _dare you _take the fun out of our massacre! Oh, InuYasha, you bastard son of a human whore, when I get through with you...you'll think of Hell as _Nirvana._" With that, Mujōna pulled him toward her and planted a kiss upon his lips. But it was neither a deep, loving kiss or a sweet, short kiss; it was an angry, carnal sort of mouth-rape that carried the promise of neverending tortures and a slow, drawn out death. A minute later, Mujōna broke the kiss and ran, her midnight hair whipping out behind her as she fled into the same darkness that had claimed her giant cohort.

InuYasha fell to his knees as his strength left him at last. His last thought before the blackness claimed him was, _'Forgive me, Kagome...forgive...me...' _Then, he crumpled to the ground in a bloodied heap, his broken arm splaying out at an awkward angle and his Tetsusaiga rolling away as it shrank back down into a rusty old katana.

Sango hurried over to the shadow she thought was Miroku, pushing herself even faster when she saw that she had been correct. "Houshi-sama! Are you all right?" she cried anxiously when she reached him.

Miroku summoned up a calm smile for her as he wobbled closer to the youkai taijiya. "I am injured...but I don't think it's so bad." His pale face and trembling frame showed Sango that Miroku was just trying to put on a brave face so she wouldn't worry, however. She offered him her shoulder, an offer which he gratefully accepted. It was a mark of how poorly Miroku was feeling that he didn't take the opportunity to stroke Sango's butt while he was leaning against her.

"Are you all right, Sango?" Miroku asked as Sango helped him hobble towards Kirara.

"Yeah, just a few bruises and burns, nothing serious," Sango replied, and it was true.

"I'm glad; I was...scared, when you crashed," the houshi admitted.

Sango just blushed, then she helped Miroku onto Kirara's back, stroking the neko's fur as she did so. "I'm sorry, Kirara. I know you're wounded, but we need to escape from here. Do you think you can carry us as far as we might need to go?"

Kirara nodded her head in assent. The faithful nekomata didn't really care that she was injured; since she was a youkai, the injury would probably heal in a few hours anyway. What she cared about was getting her compainions help.

"Thank you, Kirara," the youkai taijiya said gratefully before heading out to try and help InuYasha. When she got to the hanyou's crumpled form, she grimaced. The poor guy really was a wreck. Out of the four of them (Shippou not included) InuYasha had the worst injuries. Sango managed to get him to his feet, though she had to drag him towards Kirara, his feet leaving furrows in the dark soil. Miroku helped her haul InuYasha over the nekomata's back, careful not to jar his broken bones too much. When they were done, Sango turned to the direction of the forest and shouted, "Shippou! It's safe to come out!"

After waiting for a few seconds, the bright orange tail of the kitsune could be glimpsed darting through the darkness, heading toward the sound of Sango's voice. A few seconds after that, Shippou stopped in front of Sango, his tiny chest heaving as his emerald eyes took in the damage that had been dealt to the village.

"What...what happened?" he asked, almost fearfully. "Did...did we win?"

Sango didn't answer for a few minutes. When she did speak, her voice was flat and dull.

"No, Shippou...we lost."


	18. Licking Their Wounds

Kyūna-shi could still see the smoke from the burning village, even though he had run a considerable distance away from it before the wounds to his back and sides had forced him to stop. The scratches on his back were nothing; they would probably be healed by the end of the day. The damned diamond spears, however, were another problem. Most of them had impaled him in such a way that it was nearly impossible for him to dig them out on his own.

**"Damn that filthy half-breed to the depths of Hell!" **Kyūna-shi roared as, in attempting to pull out a spear in his leg, he actually pushed it in further. His great tongue lolled over his gaping bottom jaw as gasping pants escaped from between his fangs.

The foliage on one side of the tiny clearing rustled as Mujōna caught up with Kyūna-shi. Her face was composed, though anger still shone brightly in the depths of her red irises. "How are you doing?" she asked, concerned.

**"These damned spears will not come out!" **Kyūna-shi growled, his too-large paw grasping at the spears. Mujōna hurried over to him, hopping on a nearby rock so she would have a better vantage point.

"Let me do it," she urged, gesturing for the ōkami to sit down. When he had gotten himself as comfortable as he could, Mujōna began to work on tugging the spears out of his shoulder. It was slow going, but first aid was something her host knew well, meaning it was going faster than it would have if Mujōna had been inhabiting someone who knew as much about first aid as they did about space exploration.

_'Guess this useless girl does have some redeeming qualities,' _Mujōna conceded, albeit unwillingly. The diamond spears tinkled and clinked as she dropped them down, a small pile forming beneath her feet.

"Feeling any better yet?" she asked as she used her wakizashi to dig out a spear that had gone in a little too deep for her human hands to pull out.

Kyūna-shi nodded. **"The wounds on my shoulder have already started to heal. Thank you, Muj****ōna****."**

Mujōna allowed a small smile to cross her face. "Anything for my dear Kyūna-shi," she replied.

When the last spear had been tugged out, Kyūna-shi sighed and stretched gratefully, his large paw rubbing his already-healed shoulder. **"Much better. Those damned spears have considerable youki," **he grunted, kicking the pile with an expression of utmost displeasure. **"It's no fun being impaled by something that burns like they do."**

Mujōna's face darkened as she picked up one of the spears, watching the dim pre-morning light move up and down its pointed length. "Don't worry," she said, her voice dark. "If they give you twenty wounds, we'll pay them back with a thousand corpses!" She drove the small spear into the rock on which she was sitting, the point easily chipping off a small shard of rock, sending it crashing to the ground.

**"So we're still going to kill people?" **Kyūna-shi asked, clapping his big paws together and chuckling in anticipation.

"Oh, yes, Kyūna-shi," she answered, her eyebrows furrowing. "Make no mistake about _that._ We'll make them see that fighting us is the _worst mistake _they ever could have made."

Kyūna-shi guffawed, lifting his great black fists and pounding his chest. **"We will leave a trail of blood across this world and leave no survivors in our wake!" **he declared.

Mujōna nodded distractedly. "Yes, yes. Now, try to find a river or a lake and take a bath. It's not good to let human blood congeal in your fur, you know."

The giant nodded and turned around, the sound of his tramping paws soon fading into the surrounding forest. Mujōna stared at her bare knees, her eyes unblinking. Then, she straightened up, and stated, "Now that we're alone, could you please shut up?"

Silence reverberated in the forest after Mujōna's question, but deep within her own head, the sound of moaning sobs did not lessen. Mujōna's eyes narrowed. "Quit being such a baby, you dumbass. You've been in battle situations before, haven't you? How can you turn squeamish at the sight of blood _now?_"

_I-InuYasha...I'm...I'm...so sorry, I'm so sorry, _the voice moaned, making the youkai grimace.

"You pathetic little weakling of a miko," she growled, standing up and starting to pace, "In what universe do miko and youkai live in peace, huh? You two were _meant _to fight and destroy each other. _That _way is right. The way you try to live peacefully with him just makes me sick."

_Why...why are you making me do this? I...I don't...I can't...murder..._The broken sentence trailed off into a sob. _InuYasha...all those people...all that __**pain**__..._

"You know what? Life_ is _pain, little idiot," Mujōna told her. "From my point of view, we just gave that village, your friends and that hanyou lots of meaning to their pointless little lives."

Kagome (for it was her) didn't reply; instead, the sobbing started up again. Mujōna sighed in exasperation. "If she wasn't such a good shield, I would be tempted to leave her body and find a new host. Oh, well, it stops InuYasha from killing me and Kyūna-shi. Guess I can't complain." She dusted herself off and sat back down on the rock.

_'There's nothing to do except put up with the squeamish little weakling, I guess,' _Mujōna thought with a small sigh. _'After all, Naraku-sama ordered me to stay in this host for as long as I might remain alive...and I am nothing if not compliant with my lord's orders.'_

* * *

><p>Nearly fifteen miles away from where Mujōna was standing, a dilapidated old shrine housed the wounded members of InuYasha's group. They had found the shrine nearly an hour after leaving the burning village, which came as a relief to Sango, who, by that point, had been the only conscious fighter left in the group. It was Shippou who had first pointed out the shrine to the youkai taijiya, his keen eyes catching the edge of the patchy roof. So she had asked Kirara to take them down and had set up shop within the murky, mildewy depths of the shrine.<p>

Shortly after their arrival, Sango had gone out to fetch some water, telling Shippou to keep an eye on the men, who were still unconscious from lack of blood and exhaustion. She also sent Kirara out to find food, telling her to bring back whatever she could find. Luckily for Sango, there was a stream nearby, so she didn't have to worry about leaving Shippou and the others alone for too long.

As the bamboo tube she had dipped beneath the water gurgled and began to fill up, the taijiya's thoughts began turning to the night's events.

It didn't matter how she, or anyone else, for that matter, dressed it up; the simple fact was that she and the rest of the group had failed.

Failed to save the village from Naraku's incarnations. Failed to rescue Kagome from Mujōna. Failed to keep themselves from getting injured. And, of course, failed to stop Mujōna and Kyūna-shi from escaping.

_'All we can do now is try to recover and go after them another time,' _Sango thought as she checked to see if the tube was full. Satisfied, she put the stopper back in and stood up. _'I hope Kagome-chan is all right...well,' _Sango amended grimly, _'She's probably not hurt...but I know she's hurting inside. Poor Kagome-chan...all the horrible things they're making you do...'_

A tear trailed down her face as she thought about her dear brother Kohaku, and how his situation and the situation Kagome had fallen into were remarkably similar.

_'I'll find you both,' _she promised, her fist tightening around the bamboo tube's leather strap. _'I'll find you and save you from Naraku!'_

Resolved, she started back toward the hut, her mind walking down a thousand avenues of memories; though the memory of a few hours previously was the most predominant. So wrapped up was she in her thoughts that she didn't notice Kirara coming in to land until the nekomata was right in front of her.

"Oh-Kirara! Did you find something?" she asked, looking over the neko's back. She didn't see any meat or plants, and at first her heart plummeted...

Kirara proffered her head, showing Sango the item that was dangling from her jaws.

The taijiya gasped. "Kagome-chan's backpack!" she cried, seizing one of the yellow straps and examining it. It looked a little dirty, but otherwise unharmed. "Where in Nippon did you find it?"

Kirara sniffed at the pack and growled. When Sango decided to do likewise, she detected a strong scent of horse. "Did you find the horse Kagome-chan bought, then?"

Kirara nodded, not able to say that it looked like the horse had taken a bad fall and injured its leg, which was why Kirara found it. The poor thing had been in so much pain that the nekomata had done it a favor and broken its neck. But it didn't need to be said anyway. The group had had enough sorrow and death for one day.

Sango threw an arm about her shoulders, thanking her for the lucky gift. Not only did Kagome's backpack have food and water inside of it, it also had Kagome's first-aid kit, which meant she would be able to take better care of the injuries that Miroku and InuYasha had sustained. Then, she hurried back to the shrine, Kirara transforming back into her tiny self and jumping onto her shoulder.

"I'm back, Shippou! How are they?" Sango asked, already digging into the pack by the time she had entered the shrine. The kitsune was sitting in the entrance to the shrine, eating a sweet that he had found in his kimono. When he heard Sango speaking to him, he looked up.

"I think Miroku's trying to wake up," Shippou told her, "but InuYasha..well...I think InuYasha's conscious, but he's not really in a good mood."

Sango nodded, then thrust the backpack at the kitsune. "See if you can get some food started; I'm going to tend to the others," she told him. Before Shippou could say anything else, she was moving again, the first aid box clutched in her hands as she headed toward the room where Miroku was staying.

The houshi was indeed trying to wake up when Sango arrived, his eyes roving about restlessly underneath his pale eyelids as he moved slowly over the primitive bed Sango had made for him. Sango had managed to staunch the bleeding with a torn section of Miroku's robes, but the make-shift bandage was dark with blood as the wound continued to trickle. Sango tore open the box, digging around for the things she needed and thanking her father for the rudimentary first aid training he had put her under as part of being a taijiya.

She found the fresh bandages, gauze, disinfectant and painkillers in the box; then, steeling herself for what she needed to do, she dug in her kimono until she found her bone needle and a length of coarse thread. When she had her materials gathered up in a small pile, the taijiya pulled back Miroku's sleeve, exposing the bloody purple bandage. She tore it off to reveal the wound that Mujōna had made; a nearly five-inch long ugly red frown that was now starting to ooze blood again.

"Forgive me, houshi-sama," she told Miroku, as she tilted his head back so she could force-feed him the painkillers. Then, she disinfected the wound and the area around it, as well as her needle and thread. Then, brow furrowed and jaw set, she began to sew the wound closed. Sweat dripped down her face and dropped into her yukata, but the taijiya knew that her hands must not falter and took pains to make sure they stayed still. The needle dipped and raised, slowly drawing the two sides of the wound together. When the task was finally completed, Sango snapped off the thread and wrapped the wound up with plenty of bandages to protect the wound as it healed.

As she was doing this, Miroku's eyes opened, revealing bleary purple orbs that stared at Sango with some confusion, head lolling as he struggled to get up. "Sango...?" he asked, his voice somewhat raspy.

"You need to rest, houshi-sama," she told him, pushing him back down onto the ground. "It'll help your wound heal faster."

The houshi blinked once before his eyes closed again, head falling back against the wooden boards with a faint _thunk._ Sango checked to make sure he hadn't hurt himself, then rushed back out, the kit tucked under her arm.

Shippou had gotten a small fire burning and was making some ramen with the help of Kagome's small camp-kettle. "Sango, where did you find the backpack?" he asked as Sango walked past. "Everybody said that Kagome took it with her when she left."

"Kirara found it," she answered distractedly. Shippou accepted this, which was fortunate.

Sango slowed her approach as she reached the room they had delegated to InuYasha. Knowing the hanyou's fearsome temper and his personal guilt over what had happened to Kagome pretty much decided what Sango and Shippou were going to do with him. So, they aired on the side of caution and put him in a different room from them and Miroku.

The air inside the room was pungent with the smell of blood. Sango tried very hard not to retch as she slowly approached the hanyou's crouching form. She could tell that InuYasha was conscious; she could see the glimmer of his golden eyes cutting through the darkness of the room. He glared at her, backing away slightly as his good arm gripped the broken one.

"InuYasha, let me take a look at your wounds," she called, careful to keep her voice soft. "You were hurt very badly, you know."

"Fuck off," the hanyou hissed, his fangs bared and his ears flattened.

"You stupid stubborn ass!" Sango yelled, dropping all pretense of gentility. "You need to have your wounds looked at! Letting yourself rot like this isn't going to help Kagome-chan!"

InuYasha's growl deepened, but he came forward, his broken arm dangling uselessly as he reluctantly shuffled toward the taijiya. Sango sighed. She knew InuYasha's reluctance probably had something to do with the fact that it was usually Kagome who cared for his wounds, and his guilt had deepened when he realized that she wouldn't be there to take care of him.

"InuYasha, I know you're hurting right now," she told him as she worked on carefully realigning the bones that had been broken-not that she really needed to; his hyper healing had already started to knit his bones back together. Even his cut ear had repaired itself in the short time they had been away from the battlefield. All the taijiya needed to do was wash and bandage his hurts to make sure he didn't bleed out, a job that was made harder by his constant fidgeting.

When she was done, InuYasha pulled away from the taijiya, turning away from her as he faced the small window, telling her without words that he should leave her alone. Sango took heed and made for the door, only stopping to say, "If you get hungry, we're making ramen. We'll save some for you."

InuYasha acknowledged her sentence with a flick of his ear. He stared out the window, watching as the sun started to rise in the east. The hanyou's thoughts were a million miles away from his body, running down avenues that had long since been unexplored.

What _had _been the most painful part of his life, thus far? The day his mother had died? Sure, it had been painful, but he didn't really remember her too much, since it had been so long since she had died. The hundred or so years spent roaming the wild? It had been a physical challenge, and he'd suffered through a lot before hearing about the Shikon-no-Tama, but he couldn't really describe the process as 'painful.' The ordeal with Kikyou and the Jewel of Four Souls? Well, before a few weeks ago, InuYasha would have said that _that _was the most painful moment of his life; the buildup of a promise to become human and live out his life with Kikyou before that dream was ripped out from under his feet and sealed to the Goshinboku. It had haunted him ever since he had been freed from his seal, even before he had learned of Naraku's involvement.

But now-_now_-Naraku had truly outdone himself. By putting one of his incarnations inside of Kagome's body, the dark hanyou had gained a shield that was even more impenetrable than the one around Mt. Hakurei, even stronger than the one he used to enshroud himself during battle. And that was because no matter how strong InuYasha became, no matter how many powers he put into Tetsusaiga, the one thing he would never be able to do was fight Kagome. He would rather tear his own heart out than do such a thing. And he knew that Naraku was counting on it. Mujōna was protected by more than just Kyūna-shi; she was protected by InuYasha's promise to protect Kagome _no matter what._

_'Dammit,' _he cursed as the first sunbeam touched his face, _'What can I do?' _

_'How could I ever face Kagome...as an enemy?'_

* * *

><p>The village smoldered beneath the soft glare of the early morning sun. The last of the fire flickered amongst the remains of the once proud huts and devoured the bodies of the people who had fallen too close to the collapsing buildings. Carrion crows had started circling overhead, the scavengers more than willing to feast upon the remains of the battle.<p>

A long, white, insectoid youkai twisted through the black remains of the headman's hut, its long body undulating as it weaved through the dark wood and occasional bodies. Then, its reconnaissance completed, it headed back to the congregation of youkai standing in the middle of the village.

Standing in the midst of the youkai was the tall, mournfully serene figure of Kikyou. Her dark eyes were observing the damage around her with detached interest. When the shinidamachuu who had done the recon of the village approached her, she silently held out a hand for the youkai to rest upon. When he had settled on her wrist, she brought him to her face, listening intently as the youkai reported its findings to her.

"So, InuYasha was here," she stated quietly. "I thought as much. The traces of youki felt like him. But what happened here?"

The undead miko listened as the shinidamachuu told her the rest of what had happened.

"A large ōkami?" she asked, puzzlement creeping into her tone. "Let me see."

The shinidamachuu floated off her wrist and led her and the entourage of youkai toward a place where the deep paw-prints of Kyūna-shi could be easily seen amidst the carnage around them. Kikyou reached out and let her fingertips trail in the depressions, her brow furrowing in concentration.

"This...is similar to Naraku's aura," she finally concluded. "So he has made a new incarnation, then. But why something like this?" Then, her wandering fingertips found something that wasn't a paw-print. Brow furrowing even more, Kikyou studied the new print with both fingers and sight. Her miko powers picked up nothing from the print, but she could tell that it wasn't made by an ordinary villager or one of InuYasha's friends. In fact, it looked somewhat like the soles of the shoes the..._other _miko with InuYasha wore.

_'So...it was her, then. But why would she be standing so close to the youkai?' _

Kikyou shook her head and rose to her feet, dusting off her red hakama with slow, fluid motions. Then, she gestured for her shinidamachuu to surround her.

"I need you to help me find InuYasha," she told them simply. The obedient youkai instantly wove themselves into a harness for their mistress, lifting her up and flying over the forest. Kikyou's eyes were fixed on the horizon, her miko senses stretched out as far as they would go, searching for any sign of InuYasha or his friends.

_'The best way to find answers to these questions...is to ask those who were actually there,' _she thought.

_'InuYasha...I will be seeing you soon.'_


	19. Ultimatum: The Price of Peace

Night had fallen by the time Kikyou found the desecrated shrine where she knew InuYasha was staying. Her youkai companions separated in a great white wave as she approached the entrance. She had told them to leave her for the time being so they wouldn't make InuYasha's friends uncomfortable, and to get some more dead souls for her while they were at it.

As she neared the shrine, Kikyou was surprised by how..._weak _InuYasha's youki felt. Normally, his aura was violently vibrant, bursting with wild energies and incomparable strength. Now it felt lusterless, dulled, and much less violent and wild. For lack of a better word, it felt..._empty. _Whatever had happened to InuYasha's group, it had badly hurt the hanyou's heart.

_'What could have happened here?' _the undead miko wondered as she mounted the first step of the shrine. The little kitsune youkai who traveled with InuYasha was sitting on the top step, munching on some sort of treat while he hummed tunelessly to himself. When he felt Kikyou's aura, however, he glanced up sharply, emerald eyes full of first suspicion, and then fear as he realized just _who _was coming up the steps.

"Do not fear me, little youkai," Kikyou said, holding forth one of her pale hands in an expression of peace and comfort. "I do not come here to harm any of you."

Shippou's bottom lip trembled slightly, but he rose from his sitting position, locked his trembling knees and asked, "T-then what _are _you doing here...K-K-Kikyou?"

The shadow of a smile crossed the miko's face before vanishing like snow in the sunlight. "I am here to see InuYasha, of course. That alone has not changed. Though," she amended, "I will not ask him to part with his friends."

Shippou thought for a few seconds, then, tail wiggling with fear, he turned around and headed inside. Kikyou waited with enduring patience for the kitsune to return, as motionless as the statue her body truly was. No sound permeated her world, not even the echo of a heartbeat or the whooshing rush of breathing, for she possessed neither a heart nor lungs.

Then, she heard frantic voices coming closer and closer to the place where she stood, gradually growing louder and louder as they came nearer and nearer.

"-mean, _Kikyou?_" a female voice cried. Kikyou guessed this to be the taijiya; it was definitely not the too-kind voice of her reincarnation.

"-sure, Shippou?" A male voice this time; the calm tenor that the houshi of their group possessed. A quick search of auras revealed Kikyou's intuitions to be true, as well as the fact that InuYasha was not with them. _'Does he not wish to see me?' _she wondered, the echo of pain flashing through her heart before she doused it beneath a stoic mask. Now was not the time to dwell in old memories of chances long since lost, of lives long since wasted, of love long since gone.

The taijiya and houshi appeared in the doorway, their eyes frantic, their breathing heavy. Kikyou assessed them with a quick glance; the houshi's arm was in a sling, and the taijiya had several burns on her face. They had been in a fight, then. Just how big had that skirmish at the village been?

They both stared at her with suspicious expressions similar to the kitsune's flickering in the depths of their dravite and amethyst eyes. Kikyou stared back at them evenly, her bow held loosely in her hand to show them that she didn't want to fight.

"What are you doing here, Kikyou?" Sango asked furiously, her voice dripping with accusation.

Kikyou raised one thin brow. "What do you think I am here for?"

Sango opened her mouth to bellow a response, but was stopped when Miroku put his good hand on her shoulder. "Now, now, Sango, let us give Kikyou-sama a chance to explain herself," he reasoned, shifting Shakujou so it rested more comfortably in the crook of his shoulder. Then, his wary purple gaze fell upon the undead miko.

"That said...what _are _you here for, Kikyou-sama? Shippou said it was to see InuYasha..." Miroku trailed off, waiting for Kikyou's reply.

"It is exactly that," Kikyou affirmed. "I was passing by this area, and noticed the ruins of a village nearby. Upon examination, I realized that InuYasha had been fighting there, as well as an incarnation of Naraku's I did not know about. I wanted to ask about that fight."

Immediately, the miko noticed the way that the eyes of InuYasha's friends became more veiled with each word she spoke. They were hiding something; she was sure of it. It probably had something to do with the bleakness of InuYasha's aura, and the absence of Kagome's, which Kikyou noticed after a second sweep-over of the area.

"...it's complicated," Sango finally abridged, her gaze hard.

"The night is still young," Kikyou replied. "You can explain. But first, I will meet with InuYasha." With that, she went up the steps and firmly-but politely-shouldered her way past the blockade of taijiya and houshi.

"That isn't such a good idea! InuYasha...hasn't really been himself lately!" Sango finished lamely. Miroku's hand was back on her shoulder, the warm weight of his hand unexpectedly soothing.

"Enough, Sango. Kikyou-sama does not mean to cause InuYasha harm, and InuYasha would never hurt her. They will be safe," he said, his hand gently squeezing her shoulder.

"Sure, she would never hurt him _physically,_" Sango admitted, "but what about _emotionally? _Houshi-sama, we both know that InuYasha is hurting far more than any of us are. He feels that he failed Kagome-chan so badly when she was kidnapped by Naraku, and even more so when he found out about Mujōna and all the horrible things she made her do...what if seeing Kikyou makes it worse?"

Miroku looked over at the place where the darkness of the hall had swallowed Kikyou as she made her steady way toward InuYasha's room. "Seeing Kikyou-sama always hurts InuYasha, dear Sango," he said quietly. "She reminds him of what he lost over fifty years ago...what he took from her by loving her. Not only that, she reminds him of the pain he brought to Kagome-sama...the darkness he thinks he put in her heart."

The houshi's words echoed in the silence as he and Sango both looked at the darkness, hoping fervently that maybe, just _maybe, _Kikyou's appearance would snap InuYasha out of whatever thing he had been in since they had brought him back from the village...or rather, if they were perfectly honest with themselves, the funk he had been in since Kagome had went missing over a month ago.

* * *

><p>The first thing Kikyou noticed was the silence. The quiet was a thick, oppressive blanket, tangibly making the atmosphere more depressing and hopeless. Her ikitabi clad feet made no noise on the tattered wooden boards, adding to the silence, rather than diminishing it. Also adding to the depressing air was the bleak waves InuYasha's aura was emitting. Whatever had happened to the group had <em>really <em>hurt the hanyou; even after meeting him again after her resurrection, seeing the horror on his face as she accused him of betrayal, his aura had _never _been _this _bleak and hopeless feeling.

The dim outline of a doorway loomed in the darkness, the faint glow of a side window partially illuminating the room that lay beyond it. Without a shred of hesitation the undead miko crossed over the threshold and entered.

The first thing she noticed were the deep, gouging claw-marks that scored the walls and floor of the room; as though a fight between two great youkai had occurred in this room, though she knew that was not the case. InuYasha, in his helpless rage and sorrow, had been the one to do this. The feelings that were steeped in each and every mark were as clear as day to one with Kikyou's training.

Claw-marks weren't the only thing this room was covered with, though. As she walked through, Kikyou felt something sticky cling to her ikitabi, and the coppery-salt scent of blood touched her nose at the same time. InuYasha was badly hurt, and probably refusing help. When Kikyou had known him, this wasn't unusual, but now she was sure that this was wrong.

When she reached the exact center of the room, Kikyou stopped and asked, "InuYasha? Are you here?" She knew he was, but it was more to be polite than anything.

For a few seconds, there was only silent. Then, Kikyou saw a brief flash of silver before two blazing golden eyes winked to life in the darkness, fixing her with a penetrating stare.

"...why the fuck are you here, Kikyou? Get out!" InuYasha hissed, fangs flashing in the dim light of the window. As he spoke, his eyes winked out as the hanyou moved to a different position in the room. "Leave me the fuck alone! I told everyone I don't want to be bothered by _anyone!_"

Kikyou's face didn't so much as flicker at the hanyou's harsh words. Instead of doing as he bade her, she sat down, careful of the blood-spots when she did so. Hands resting on her lap, Kikyou sighed softly, the sound carrying further in the silence than normal.

"Would you let my reincarnation bother you?" she asked, the slightest touch of sadness reaching into her words. "Is that why you have refused anyone's company? Are you waiting for someone who will never come for you again?"

The silence was there again after her questions, but this time it was brittle, punctuated by a sharp inhale of breath and a rustle of movement. Then, Kikyou saw the hanyou's silhouette against the dim light of the window for a brief second before he vanished again, the tawny flash of his eyes making a pale streak of gold in the darkness.

"_Get out!_" he snarled, his voice much closer than before. "You don't know what's happened! You don't know _anything!_"

"Don't I?" Kikyou replied. "Were we not together for those long months before Naraku stole our happiness from us? I knew you, InuYasha, or at least, I _did _know you before Kagome took your heart and changed it. You _always _take everything personally, and an attack against those you hold dear would hurt you deeply, even though you try to hide it." She paused for a second, then, for the first time in her life, she steeled herself before asking, "Did Naraku succeed in killing Kagome? Is that why you are so upset and lost?"

InuYasha was quiet for a few seconds, then his soft tread approached her, almost hesitantly. The hanyou's outline appeared against the pale light of the window, slowly becoming more distinguished as he came closer and closer. Kikyou just barely managed to swallow a gasp as, for the first time since she entered the room, she got a good look at her one-time lover's face.

Ever since she had met him, Kikyou knew that InuYasha was far, far older than his appearance and demeanor suggested. Though he had endured much before and during their relationship, he had always managed to keep up a 'don't-give-a-damn' sort of attitude, making him seem so much younger.

Yet, tonight, Kikyou thought she could see the weight of all those pain-filled decades resting upon InuYasha's shoulders, making the strong and careless figure of the hanyou become haggard and withdrawn. But there was nothing quite as revealing as his eyes. The eyes were the windows to the soul, after all, and for the first time since she'd known him, Kikyou was seeing InuYasha's eyes bared for the world to see. It was shocking, really, just how _old _he looked at that moment; the inu-hanyou seemed as timeless as the Goshinboku, just forging ahead through good times and bad, through hardships and paradises, through love and hatred. The agelessness he emitted made Kikyou feel like a novice miko again, a feeling she hadn't felt for many years during her life-time, and had _never _felt during her renewed half-life...until now.

_'Truly...his eyes are deeper than I ever imagined,' _she thought, a touch of guilt entering her heart. She knew he hadn't been as shallow as he looked, but she'd had no idea just how _deep _those eyes of his were.

InuYasha sat down a good three feet away from her, his hand resting on his crossed legs as he stared at Kikyou, the fresh pain and the old mingling in his golden irises until they were one and the same. A few seconds passed before he managed to whisper, "...She's not dead." The anger was gone from his voice now, leaving only the hurt behind. His eyes closed as one clawed hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Naraku...managed to capture her. He put one of his incarnations inside her body. She's...not herself anymore." The words seemed to struggle to exit his throat, as if something was holding them back, preventing them from being said.

Shock crossed Kikyou's face before she managed to contain it. "I...I see. So the massacre at the village was _her _doing."

InuYasha's eyes snapped open, full of anger for a few brief seconds before dimming again. His ears drooped as his gaze fell to the floor. "I guess...there's no other fuckin' way to put it, huh?" he asked, a laugh with no feeling behind it forcing itself past his lips. "Yeah, she commands another one of _his_ incarnations and ordered him to destroy the village...though I don't think she's above bloodshed...not like Naraku...she likes getting her hands dirty."

Kikyou's eyebrow raised as a sad smile touched her lips. "I assume we're talking about Naraku's new incarnation?"

InuYasha's brow furrowed as a small growl escaped his throat. "Kagome would _never _order the deaths of a whole village, _or _desire to kill them with her own two hands!" he barked.

Kikyou held up her hands in a pacifying gesture. "I know, InuYasha, I know. Just tell me about these new incarnations."

The anger was gone again just as soon as it had come, leaving behind the ageless look of never-ending pain. The hanyou let out another sigh as his gaze turned to the window. "The one inhabiting Kagome's body is called Mujōna. We haven't seen what she _really _looks like cuz she's never been outside of Kagome's body, at least not that I've seen. _She _is...dammit, she's a _monster!_" Without warning, InuYasha's fist flew out, pulverizing the wood on his left side. A few splinters landed in the undead miko's lap; she calmly brushed them away as she waited for InuYasha to continue. "Mujōna loves to make people _suffer, _just like Naraku, but unlike Naraku, she doesn't mind having blood on her hands. I...I think she likes hurting Kagome the _most, _because she can _really _feel it when Kagome suffers, since they share a body."

Kikyou was silent for a few seconds as a thousand thoughts whirled around in her head. Thoughts of the gentle girl who was her reincarnation being forced to murder and torture people, thoughts of why Naraku would want her to do this, thoughts of how it affected InuYasha and the others...

"Tell me about the other one," she commanded when InuYasha was silent for a little too long.

"His name is Kyūna-shi," InuYasha stated hollowly. "He's basically a giant, two-legged ōkami who likes to eat human flesh, has some sort of influence powers and pretty much does whatever Ka-_Muj__ōna_ tells him to." Kikyou noticed a short flash of self-hatred in the hanyou's pupils when he corrected himself as he was about to say 'Kagome.'

"Are they close, in any way?" Kikyou asked to try to distract him.

"_Really _close. Mujōna lost her head when me 'n' Sango managed to turn the tables against Kyūna-shi...she just _snapped. _Up until then...she'd been aloof, _cold..._" InuYasha shuddered, making Kikyou wonder what InuYasha could be imagining. "But, when it looked like Kyūna-shi might die...she got so _angry_. She promised to kill me," he added bitterly.

"And you can't do anything about it because she's in Kagome's body," Kikyou guessed, her voice sad.

InuYasha shook his head, tight-lipped and hollow-eyed.

"Just like with me," Kikyou murmured softly. "You could never hurt the one you love. Naraku chose his shield well. Inadvertently, _you _are protecting _him._"

InuYasha growled again, but without much feeling behind it. He got up and vanished into the shadows again, managing to grit out, "I don't wanna talk anymore, Kikyou. Just..._go._"

Kikyou nodded before rising to her feet. She walked swiftly out of the room, leaving InuYasha alone with his dark thoughts. Her own thoughts were walking down the same trail as his were most likely doing.

_'My presence hurt you, InuYasha, but not just because of old memories.' _

Kikyou looked up, seeing the dim light of the stars through a hole in the ceiling.

_'I hurt you because I reminded you that you failed to save not just one, but __**two **__women, both of whom fell into darkness and are now beyond redemption.'_

* * *

><p>Kikyou stayed with InuYasha's friends for a while after that, conversing softly to see if there was something InuYasha hadn't told her that she could learn from his friends. There wasn't much else to be said, except they told her how InuYasha had been injured and how long Kagome had been missing, and she told them about his aura.<p>

"He is just as lost as Kagome most likely is," Kikyou stated, watching the fear and worry that appeared in the eyes of Sango, Miroku, Shippou and even Kirara with interest. "For him, it is failure that makes him so unhappy. InuYasha is in...limbo, so to speak, dwelling in the past and the future, unable to see the light of the present while his heart is so depressed. The only answer I can see is Kagome's safe return, untouched by Mujōna's-and Naraku's-evil. Unfortunately, I'm not sure how I can do that."

They were silent for a while, the crackling of the fire the only noise present. Then, Shippou spoke up, his voice timid. "Can...can't you do an exorcism on her, Kikyou? I...I've heard that that's the best way to deal with youkai who inhabit people."

"Normally, yes, that would be the best way to deal with a problem like this," Kikyou replied.

"'Normally?'" Sango repeated, the hope that had flared up in her gaze rapidly dimming. "What do you mean, 'normally?'"

Before Kikyou could speak, Miroku did. "Kikyou-sama means, dear Sango, that exorcisms of that sort are reserved for youkai who are too weak to live outside of a human body for very long, or at least lower-level youkai who aren't that powerful and desire more power by feeding on a human soul. But...in Mujōna's case...I don't think either apply."

"It's not just that," Kikyou amended, "Any youkai who has the strength to inhabit a miko for a month, who is able to seal her powers and memories and even possess her without being purified immediately is strong enough to resist an exorcism of any kind."

"Then...is there any way to save Kagome?" Sango asked desperately.

Kikyou's eyes closed. This was the part of the conversation she was hoping they could avoid. But, she supposed it was inevitable. They deserved a choice, at least, though. A choice of whether or not they wanted to know the reality, or wanted to stay within the warm and happy limits of a dream that could never be now.

"...Do you really want to know?" she asked, eyes opening.

Sango's eyes teared up, but she nodded. Miroku put his good hand around Sango's shoulders and pulled her toward him. She did not resist, needing the comfort of human touch as much as Shippou-who had jumped into her arms-did. Kikyou looked at them all, her heart filling with immense sadness for these people, who, like her, had suffered because of Naraku. She could suddenly sympathize with InuYasha; even though it hadn't lasted for centuries, she too carried her fair share of pain, no matter how hard she tried to mask it with indifference. Then, for the second time that night, she steeled herself, summoning her reserve and her stoic mask to help her through the difficult words.

"No. As far as I can tell from what I have heard, Kagome cannot be saved," Kikyou intoned with the finality of a doctor's prognosis of a fatally ill patient. "The only thing that can save her now is death."

Sango let out a small sob, burying her face in Miroku's robes as the tears started gushing down her face. The houshi let his cheek rest in her hair, his hand moving up and down her arm as she cried. Shippou started wailing, tears trailing down his cheeks as he clutched Sango's forearm. Kirara came over to him, rubbing her tails against his cheek as a sad mew escaped her.

"But...b-b-but Kagome managed to overthrow Mujōna at least once!" Shippou sobbed, now holding Kirara. "Doesn't that mean that she's strong enough to live?"

Kikyou shook her head. "That doesn't change the fact that Mujōna inhabits her body and cannot be removed, little youkai. If Kagome cannot purify her, nobody can." She thought for a second before adding, "I think Kagome would want this; I think she might even _know, _deep within her heart, that this is the only choice."

Shippou dissolved into more sobs, burying his small face into Kirara's fur. Miroku lifted his head from Sango's, his amethyst eyes falling upon Kikyou. "What about InuYasha?" he asked quietly. "Do you want us to tell him?"

Kikyou shook her head fervently. "No. Don't let him know. It's only the fact that Kagome lives that is keeping him _this _sane. Learning that her only choice is death would destroy what remains of his sanity, as well as his happiness."

"You want him to hold on to a lie..?" Sango managed to choke, her voice incredulous.

Kikyou's answering smile was pitying. "It's better for him to hold on to a lie and survive than to learn the truth and die, don't you think?" Kikyou let out a sigh and turned toward the open door, watching the darkness undulate beyond the small circle of firelight. "In any case, it's what Kagome would want," she said quietly. "Above all else, she wants him to _live, _regardless of whether she lives or dies."

"And what makes _you _an expert on Kagome's feelings, Kikyou?" Sango snapped, glaring at the undead miko through her tears.

Kikyou met Sango's gaze, unblinking. "Because once, long ago, it is what _I _desired."

With that, Kikyou rose from where she was sitting and turned on her heel, heading for the door and the darkness of the night, the echoes of sobbing ringing in her head.

The night was cool, though her skin made of clay couldn't feel as well as human flesh. She raised her hand into the air, her pale fingers even paler under the light of the moon. A few seconds passed, then her shinidamachuu swarmed out of the trees, swirling around her and depositing more souls into her body, each one giving her a little more strength.

"I have decided," she told them. "InuYasha's group has lost their light, their purpose."

She looked to the stars, her face determined, though still sad.

"It is down to me to guide them down the right path...even though that path is also the one that leads to Kagome's death."

_'It is our only choice...' _she thought sadly. _'If we want to eliminate Naraku from this world forever...Kagome will be the one to pay the price.'_


	20. What Now?

The village lying in the heart of the shallow valley was a small affair, tucked away from most of the hustle and bustle of the main trading routes. However, there was a sense of peace and serenity that couldn't be found in many places, since the small mountains ringing the village kept it safe from the wars that constantly plagued the land. The farmers moved about in the fields and rice paddies, harvesting crops for their families. Women minded their children while they did the laundry, or watched livestock while their husbands worked. In short, it was your usually village scene; just normal people living out their lives as they did each and every day.

It bored Mujōna to tears.

"Good find, my dear Kyūna-shi," she purred, her eyes fixed on a small spiral of smoke that curled above the village, probably coming from someone's cooking fire. "A village untouched by violence for many a generation will make for an interesting battle-ground. Plus, it will allow us to continue south, as was our plan."

Kyūna-shi's head tilted slightly with confusion as he also regarded the village. **"I didn't know we were heading south. Why are we going south? Is there something important down there?"**

Mujōna sighed, raising her eyes to the sky as if asking for patience. "If we head south, we'll eventually stumble upon the village where InuYasha met Kikyou-and Kagome. It's a special place for him, the only place he was ever truly able to call home."

The ōkami's face broke out in his approximation of a leer as he grasped what the youkai/miko was saying. **"I think I get it; we lead a path of destruction and devastation down south. InuYasha and his herd think we're attacking randomly, and by the time they realize we're not, it'll be too late; we'll have destroyed his home and slaughtered everyone in it!" **Kyūna-shi finished on a roaring howl, his fists coming up to pound his chest.

"Yes, yes, now _shut up _before someone down there hears you!" Mujōna hissed, waving her hands at him and glancing down at the village at the same time.

Kyūna-shi sobered instantly. **"Sorry, ****Muj****ōna****. I...I guess I got carried away."**

Mujōna reached out and let her host's fingers tangle in her companion's fur, her lips twisting in a small smile. "I'm sorry too, Kyūna-shi," she told him. "I...I have not been in control of my emotions ever since that damn hanyou and his flock nearly _killed _you..." Her voice became a soft snarl as her opposite hand curled up into a tight fist. "I will make them _pay. _I swear to you, Kyūna-shi, I-will-make-them-_pay._"

Kyūna-shi laughed. **"That hanyou made a big mistake by angering **_**you, **_**Muj****ōna****."**

Mujōna allowed a tight-lipped smile to cross her face for a brief moment. "More than he will ever know."

* * *

><p>The sun rose slowly that morning, its warmth seeming to stop at the windows of the ruined shrine. Nobody felt any shred of warmth, not after what Kikyou had told them the night before. Just hearing that Kagome was condemned to die was enough to rob the heat from the air, the taste from the food and the light from their souls.<p>

Sango halfheartedly stirred a stew-ish concoction she had improvised to avoid eating any more ramen, unaware of the tears that still trailed occasionally from the corners of her eyes. Her thoughts were once again on the fact that Kagome and Kohaku's situations were so similar. If Kagome couldn't be saved, did that mean Kohaku, too, must be damned and killed? More tears flooded the taijiya's eyes at the very thought of it. Once, she had thought herself capable of killing her younger brother, but now she knew that would be impossible. Sango also knew that the same applied to the young miko whom she considered a sister.

Shippou sat in the corner, Kirara held firmly in his arms. His sobs had long since been exhausted, but the kitsune still felt the depression deep within his soul. Already, he had suffered much in his young life; his mother had died of some unknown illness when he could barely walk, his father had been killed by the Raigekijin not too long ago, and now it seemed that the Kami were going to steal his mother-figure Kagome away, too. It was so _unfair!_

Of the group-members, Miroku seemed the most calm and collected, finishing off his portion of stew unhurriedly before he sat back against the wall, his amethyst eyes distant. He was wondering if what Kikyou said was true; if there was truly no way for Kagome to be saved from Mujōna and Naraku. He had been taught that there were always alternative methods to doing ordinary things; if one couldn't swim across a river, then build a raft, and so on and so forth. Shouldn't that be true for this situation as well?

But there was no denying that the mood in the main room was dull and cheerless. Everyone felt sorrow at the idea that they had lost Kagome forever, just because she had disappeared during a fifteen minute fight with Naraku.

Then, just as Sango was starting to make some tea with the help of Kagome's little kettle, a creaking board alerted them to another presence. Sango was about to make a dive for her Hiraikotsu when Miroku stopped her with a hand upon her arm.

"It's only InuYasha, dear Sango," he told her gently. The taijiya visibly relaxed, though there was still some tension in her shoulders and eyes. Although she did consider the hanyou a friend, his behavior towards Kagome in regard to Kikyou lessened her opinion of him by quite a bit. Now that Kikyou had come here (and was most likely still sitting outside, if the tickle on the back of her neck was to be trusted) Sango wasn't sure what to think of InuYasha's feelings at the moment.

The hanyou rounded the corner and entered the room in which his friends were gathered. There were deep purple rings under his eyes, as though he hadn't gotten much sleep in the past few days. His arm looked healed, however, as did his chest where the ribs had been broken. InuYasha headed over to the fire, sniffing at the stew as his eyes narrowed.

"Fuckin' starving," he muttered, almost to himself, as he reached for one of the bowls and dipped it in the small pot. He started eating with his usual unmannerly gusto, pausing once he realized everyone was staring at him.

"Whuh?" he asked, mouth full of food. He swallowed, glaring at the concerned group of people surrounding him, but most especially at Sango and Shippou, who both still had traces of tear tracks on their cheeks. "Fuckin' hell, if you guys were cryin' cuz of me, I'm fuckin' better now, okay?" he swore, his eyes narrowing even more as his ears flattened.

Miroku quickly put a small smile on his face, reaching out with his good hand and touching the hanyou's shoulder. "I am glad you are feeling better, InuYasha," he intoned, flashing a quick look toward Sango that clearly said _don't say anything. _InuYasha, who was busy dipping his bowl back in the pot for more stew, didn't catch it. "We were quite worried when you passed out like that. Is your arm better?"

InuYasha waved aforementioned arm around to show that it was fine. "Feh!" he grunted. "It wasn't that bad. I've had _way _fuckin' worse than that."

"I can believe it," Miroku agreed.

InuYasha swallowed down the rest of his second helping of stew and tossed the bowl aside, reaching out and lifting his Tetsusaiga from where he had put it when he had settled down to eat. "So, you guys gotta plan or somethin'?" he asked harshly, golden gaze flicking quickly from person to person.

Miroku and Sango shared another glance, silently arguing over what they were going to tell their friend. This time, InuYasha did notice.

"...Is there something you ain't tellin' me?" he demanded, rising to his feet in an instant.

Sango and Miroku instantly went on the defensive. "No!" they both cried, waving their hands in a negatory expression. InuYasha was not convinced; his nose told him that both taijiya and houshi were lying.

"Don't fuckin' _lie _to me!" he hissed, the hand on Tetsusaiga white-knuckling its hilt. "You're hiding something-I can fuckin' _tell!"_

Before Sango or Miroku could think of a response, Shippou, who had been watching them for a while with tears gathering in his emerald eyes again, launched himself at InuYasha, burying his tiny face in the hanyou's haori and starting to wail loudly. InuYasha blinked down at him, anger temporarily dampened. "Shippou, what the fuck...?" he asked, shock slowly creeping over his features.

"In-InuYasha!" Shippou gasped, sobbing despondently, "A-Are you gonna ask K-Kikyou to replace Kagome?"

Everyone stared at the kitsune, shocked by the question that had seemingly come from out of left field.

Finally, InuYasha spoke, his tone both dangerous and defensive. "...What the hell do you mean by that? Where the fuck did _that _come from?"

Shippou looked up, tears still shining in the depths of his eyes. "I-I mean that...you and K-Kikyou were t-talking for a l-long time last n-night, and...and...and I wondered i-if you'd a-asked her to replace K-Kagome, since...since...since she has the s-same powers!" Shippou let out another wail and tried to shake the hanyou as he started crying again, though with no success. "D-Don't replace K-Kagome, InuYasha! _P-Please _don't!"

InuYasha's eyes narrowed slightly as he (gently) pried the kitsune off his chest, lifting him by the back of his fuzzy vest so he was staring Shippou right in the face. "I don't ever wanna hear you say anything like that _again, _you got that?" he hissed. Shippou was shocked by InuYasha's angry tone, his sobs subsiding into hiccups as he stared into the hanyou's angry golden eyes. "I would never, _never _replace Kagome. No-one can replace Kagome...not even Kikyou."

Miroku chose this moment to interrupt. "Speaking of Kikyou-sama..."

InuYasha rounded on the houshi, Shippou still dangling from one hand. "What the hell do _you _want, bouzou?" he demanded.

Miroku held up his hand as if he were trying to ward the hanyou off (which, in a way, he was). "Take it easy, my friend," he soothed, "I was just going to tell you that I am fairly certain that she's still outside." Miroku concentrated for a few seconds, his brows furrowing until he had confirmed his suspicions. "Yes," he concluded, "She's not too far away from here. If I remember our conversation from last night correctly, Kikyou-sama wishes to talk to you."

InuYasha dropped Shippou unceremoniously onto the ground, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his haori after placing Tetsusaiga in his obi. "What, d'you guys think I wanna replace Kagome with Kikyou _too?_" he accused.

Miroku shook his head. Sango did not. InuYasha glared at her, eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"What am I supposed to believe, InuYasha?" she asked. "You run to Kikyou at a moment's notice, leaving Kagome behind to deal with the pangs of a broken heart, which _you _don't even seem to care about. How do I know you aren't secretly jumping for joy at the idea that Kikyou might travel with us in Kagome's stead?"

Miroku shot a horrified glance at Sango, telling her without words that she had gone too far. It was too late to do damage control, though; InuYasha's shoulders had stiffened as the last question left Sango's lips, his teeth grinding together more and more audibly as each word hung in the air. Now a growl was vibrating in his throat as his fists clenched and unclenched. Sango met his angry gaze unflinchingly, her brown eyes challenging him to deny her claim.

Then, unexpectedly, the hanyou visibly deflated. The tension left his shoulders, his fists slackened and his growl faded into silence. Sango's angry expression slid off her face as she gawked at the sight that Kikyou had glimpsed only the night before: InuYasha's eyes, freed from their veil of confidence and hubris, disconcerting in the sheer _timelessness _of the irises that were like glowing gold coins, heartbreaking with the centuries of pain they concealed.

"I'm goin' outside," InuYasha stated, his voice strangely hollow. Before anyone could say anything to hold the hanyou back, he had pushed past them and headed for the exit. InuYasha didn't stop until he was standing outside, the green grass cool against the travel-calloused soles of his feet, the sun doing its best to warm his strangely chilled flesh from behind its rapidly increasing mask of clouds. _'Looks like rain,' _he thought, eyes staring almost unseeingly at the white-and-gray clouds that drifted lazily over the dim blue sky.

_'So much shit has happened in so little time...I don't think I've ever been this confused in my entire life,' _the hanyou thought, wandering aimlessly through the grass, alone save for his thoughts. _'What do I want? Should I want Kikyou to travel with us so we have a 'shard-detector' again?' _Unconsciously, InuYasha flinched when he thought of the name he had cruelly slapped Kagome with when he had wanted to keep his distance from her near the start of their travels together. So much time had passed since then, and yet the words had never been taken back...he had never told her that she had always been so much more to him, even back then. Why hadn't he rectified that mistake?

Suddenly, the hanyou's scarred heart was awash with guilt at his mistreatment of the young miko he had come to care for so deeply; at all the names he'd called her, at all the times he'd shouted at her, at all the times he had abandoned her, sometimes even throwing her to the proverbial (and literal) wolves when the situation called for it. Kagome deserved so much more, so much _better_...

_'I will make this better!' _he told himself, drawing himself up to his full height and letting his fangs show as he growled softly. _'I __**will **__fix whatever I did wrong, starting from the very beginning! Kagome is NOT anything I told her she was all those months ago, an'-'_

"InuYasha? Have you come to talk to me?"

At the sound of Kikyou's soft voice, InuYasha jumped at least three feet backwards, landing on one foot and falling over onto his back. He leaped up in an instant, holding Tetsusaiga out as he scanned the area for threats. When he saw Kikyou, the battle-tension left his shoulders, and he tucked his Tetsusaiga into his obi as a blush colored his cheeks for the first time in a long while. "What the-I mean, well, dammit...just, I...fuck," InuYasha spluttered, pulling at the collar of his haori with one claw as he attempted to find the words to explain himself.

Kikyou laughed softly, using her shinidamachuu to descend from the tree in which she had been resting when she had seen InuYasha passing beneath the tree's branches. She landed gently in front of him, her youkai servants dispersing from her body as she approached him.

"It's all right, InuYasha," she told him. "I will not ridicule you." When the miko thought that he had calmed down sufficiently, she continued with the most pressing topic that needed discussion.

"InuYasha...may I ask you something?" she inquired, one of her thin brows raising.

InuYasha was instantly defensive. "What?"

"I was wondering if I could travel with you while Kagome is...absent," she murmured, her eyes carefully searching his face.

InuYasha's shoulders tensed again, his jaw clenching as his eyes narrowed. "Fuck, Kikyou, how can you ask me that?" Upon seeing her slightly dejected face, he quickly added, "D'you know how much shit I got from my friends just cuz they thought I wanted you to replace Kagome? If you start traveling with us, how are they gonna know that they aren't right?"

Kikyou smiled sarcastically, though it didn't touch her eyes, which remained as cold and lonely as a distant mountain. "You could just tell them, InuYasha. _I _could tell them as well. In any case, I'm not offering to replace Kagome. I'm offering to travel with you, as myself. That way, I am not replacing Kagome; think of it as a...substitute."

InuYasha relaxed, though he still looked wary. "Why?"

Kikyou's eyes became veiled. _'If I could tell you, InuYasha, then I would. But I do not want to break your heart any more.' _

"Do I need a reason to stay with the person I once loved?" she asked, a sad smile gracing her lips. It wasn't a lie...

InuYasha's cheeks pinked, though he still looked suspicious. "I don't doubt you or nothin'," he muttered, "but then, why are they-" he gestured back toward the shrine, "-all so fuckin' sad?"

"They are worried about you and Kagome," Kikyou said. Again, not a lie, but not the truth, either. "They only wish for you to be happy, and seeing you like this hurts them deeply."

InuYasha winced. "I fuckin' _know _that. But...I'm not gonna be like that any more. I'm gonna hunt down Mujōna, Kyūna-shi, Naraku and all the rest of 'em! An' when I'm done, I'm going to set everything right; for you, me, and Kagome..." he trailed off, determination shining in his golden eyes.

While Kikyou was impressed by the rapid turnaround of InuYasha's emotions, she was also depressed by the ending she knew this story would have. _'My dear InuYasha,' _she thought, studying her one-time lover's face with a carefully masked expression, _'I wish there were some way I could spare you the pain that must fall upon your shoulders in the future...but I can't do it; much like how I can't turn back the wheels of time and prevent myself from shooting the arrow that sealed you to the Goshinboku and took you away from me...forever.'_

"I'm glad to see you acting more like yourself, InuYasha," she told him, smiling slightly to hide the sorrow in her heart. "So, are you going to answer me?" When InuYasha blinked bemusedly at her, she elaborated. "Will you let me travel with you?"

InuYasha deliberated for a second, then shrugged. "Do what you want," he told her. With that, he turned back to the shrine and started toward it, Kikyou following in his wake.

_'This will be interesting, to say the least,' _Kikyou thought. _'I had long since given up on the notion that I would be able to stand by InuYasha's side once more.'_

Her small smile slid off her face, replaced by a distantly sad look.

_'...If only the circumstances weren't so sad...'_

* * *

><p>The clouds had completely covered the sun by the time Mujōna and Kyūna-shi had reached the trail that would lead to the village. On closer inspection, they saw that a long and winding river cut directly through the village, running parallel to the path they were traveling on. It didn't look <em>too<em> wide, but the waters looked swift and powerful; woe betide anyone who managed to fall into its depths.

**"This river might complicate things a little," **Kyūna-shi grumbled, glancing at it from time to time. **"It might give some of the villagers a chance to escape."**

"Only if they know how to swim," Mujōna retorted, only sparing the river a brief glance. "Boats travel too slowly to escape _you, _and I don't think anyone's as good a swimmer as my host. Not in _this _era, anyway."

The giant youkai glanced over at the small woman riding on his shoulder, his eyes thoughtful. **"****Muj****ōna****, I've been meaning to ask you..." **he started, his tone unsure and awkward.

His companion looked over at him, her red eyes curious. "What?"

Kyūna-shi took a deep breath, and had he been standing still, he might have been shuffling from paw to paw. Then, he spoke. **"Well, I have always wondered why Naraku would put you in a weak miko such as Kagome, **_**especially **_**since you can't use her powers or anything. Not only that, he seems to think that since **_**you're**_** in**_** her**_**, **_**he**_** can't lose. But if that Kagome girl-or, Kami forbid, **_**you-**_**dies, he wouldn't be affected...wouldn't he?"**

Mujōna was quiet for a few minutes, her red eyes unreadable. Just when Kyūna-shi was starting to regret telling Mujōna his inquires and suspicions, she smiled at him, her red eyes knowing. "You wish to know why Naraku-sama placed me in Kagome-and not _just _to seal her powers _or_ turn her against InuYasha? You want to know the _true _reason?"

Kyūna-shi nodded eagerly, his tongue flopping over the side of his jaw with the force of his assent. **"Yes!" **he boomed, then, almost as an afterthought, added a **"Please."**

Mujōna's smile grew wider as she leaned over and whispered confidentially into the ōkami-youkai's pointed ear. His jaw managed to drop even wider as astonishment crept into his glowing eyes. In the back of her mind, Mujōna felt her host's reaction to her revelation; first shock, and then revulsion.

**"...Is that **_**really **_**true?" **Kyūna-shi asked, awe creeping into his voice. When she nodded, her eyes slightly annoyed, a grin spread over his lips, making his fangs glint in the weak light the clouds gave off.

_Oh, Kami..._Kagome gasped, over and over again, _Oh, KAMI..._

_'Shut up, please,' _Mujōna told her host, not even trying to hide the smug satisfaction in her voice. _'I'm not interested in listening to your babble.'_

By now, they were almost at the entrance of the village, already passing a few scattered huts that had set up shop close enough to be counted as part of the village, but far enough away to be estranged from the main group. The few people who were out in what was probably going to be a thunderstorm took one look at Kyūna-shi and darted away, back in the direction of the village, presumably to warn the others.

"Right now," the youkai whispered, "all that matters is filling out Naraku-sama's orders."


	21. The Flaw

The wind moaned in the trees, heavy with the scent of the rain that was sure to come. Branches creaked as the forest giants slowly moved in the direction the wind pushed them. The air itself was stiff with static, crackling with the energy of the impending storm.

The small child sitting in the middle of the field looked up, her large brown eyes curious as the weather steadily worsened. She quickly got up, her checkered yukata full of flowers that she had been happily picking, and turned to the giant two-headed dragon sitting with her in the middle of the field.

"We should go back to Sesshoumaru-sama, Ah-Un," Rin told the dragon, her voice very serious. "He will not be happy if we catch a cold because we were caught in the rain."

Ah-Un nodded its assent, and Rin climbed onto its back, letting all but a small bunch of the flowers float lazily onto the ground. She clutched its reins as Ah-Un bent its scaly knees and took off into the air, soaring quickly but quietly toward the place where it had left their lord.

Sesshoumaru himself was standing, still as a statue, in the middle of the forest. His face was its usual neutral mask, but the tension in his shoulders told a different story as his cold golden eyes searched the distant south. His imp retainer Jyaken was hanging around his ankles, nervously holding his Nintojo like it was a talisman to ward off evil. When he heard the soft _whoosh _of Ah-Un's approach, the imp turned around, impatience clearly stamped in his bulbous yellow eyes.

"Rin! Where have you been? How dare you make our lord wait for you in this weather!" Jyaken fumed, shaking a small fist in the girl's direction. "You should kn-"

"Jyaken." Sesshoumaru had lifted his gaze from the horizon to glare at his retainer. Swallowing visibly, the imp turned to his lord. "Be silent," he commanded, his voice never rising above a calm, room-level volume. But to Jyaken it was more fearsome than the loudest roar. The imp muttered something and turned away, sweat beading his green brow. Sesshoumaru then turned his eyes to Rin.

"Rin apologizes for worrying you, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said humbly, bowing slightly as she apologized.

"Hn." Sesshoumaru turned back to the south, eyes narrowing slightly as he scented the wind again. There was something that shouldn't be there, a scent that was mixed into the wind...

"Is...is something bothering you, Sesshoumaru-sama?" Jyaken asked, mentally hoping he wasn't pushing his lord too hard (again).

Sesshoumaru didn't speak for a few minutes. Then, just when his imp retainer was really starting to squirm, the dai-youkai finally stated: "Take Rin and find shelter."

Before Jyaken could question his lord about the order, Sesshoumaru stepped forward, his mokomoko-sama twisting about his ankles as he took off into the air, sailing majestically into the distance.

"Oh no! Wait-please wait, Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jyaken cried, darting forward for about fifteen paces before realizing it was futile. His shoulders sagged beneath the brown haori he wore as he turned back toward the dragon and girl who were waiting patiently for him. "Ohh," he sighed, even as he scrabbled to get onto the dragon's back as Ah-Un took off into the static-filled air, the twin sets of yellow eyes searching for a safe place to wait out the oncoming storm. "Why doesn't he ever tell me _anything _anymore?"

* * *

><p>The small village's one path was running red with a river of blood that had churned the dirt into a muddy, reeking mess. The huts were burning, sending black smoke up to the gray sky. What few villagers remained were fleeing to the river, if they hadn't been frozen by Kyūna-shi's powers of influence. The blade of Mujōna's wakizashi was dripping with the viscous scarlet liquid that she craved like a narcotic, driving her into fits of ecstasy with its coppery scent.<p>

"Yes...yes!" she giggled, letting her hand run down the bloody blade, enjoying the feel of the thick liquid. "Surely, _this _is what Mujōna's purpose is about. Bringing hell to Earth..._that _is why Naraku-sama created me!"

**"Stop running!" **she heard Kyūna-shi bellow, followed shortly thereafter by the shocked screams of those inflicted by the power of Kyūna-shi's glowing eyes and thunderous voice. She smiled to herself. _'What a __**wonderful **__feeling...'_

**"Over too soon again," **Kyūna-shi sighed, striking out at a nearby hut once he realized that all of the villagers had either fled or died. **"Why can't we ever destroy a village full of fighters, or something?"**

"Because, my dear Kyūna-shi," Mujōna sighed with the expression of a long-suffering parent, "The only village full of fighters was the village of the youkai-taijiya, and _that _was destroyed by Naraku-sama long before either you or I were made. Now, the best equivalent you might find is a handful of samurai per every hundred people."

**"It's not fair," **Kyūna-shi thundered with something of a pout in his voice. **"Why can't we ever be around during the **_**good **_**fights?"**

The youkai/miko looked at her giant ōkami cohort with an expression of interest. "How come you're never this excited when it comes time to fight InuYasha? Aren't _those _good fights?"

**"I don't like that hanyou!" **Kyūna-shi grumbled. **"And I most certainly **_**do not **_**want to eat him! Not fun!"**

Mujōna shook her head, a smirk on her face. _'Idiot,' _she thought, almost fondly.

Then, she turned her gaze back to the burning village, to the bodies littering the ground and the blood staining the Earth. The smirk turned into a rictus grin that seemed to stretch from ear to ear, lighting her eyes with an insane, blood-thirsty light. _'Such a good thing to see...Hell on Earth. I do love it so.'_

_You're sick. Completely and totally __**sick**__._

_'Quiet, little girl,' _Mujōna told Kagome smugly. _'The adults are working.'_

"Well, Kyūna-shi, I guess we should-" Mujōna's sentence cut short when a shiver of awful awareness ran down her back, sending a wave of cold through her body. With a sense of impending doom, Mujōna turned around. A streak of green light was moving rapidly toward them, shining brightly as it grew nearer and nearer. Mujōna didn't know what it was, but she had a hunch, and it wasn't good.

"KYŪNA-SHI!" she screamed, launching herself across the village, "GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Kyūna-shi, confused, turned to see the light turning into a full-blown comet of youki, soaring toward them like a spear, heading directly for where they were standing. With a loud howl, the ōkami-youkai jumped to the side, scooping up the small woman with one paw and barreling through some of the huts (regardless of whether or not they were burning) in order to get to safety.

He barely managed to escape in time. The ball of light smashed into the blood-stained ground, sending out a small shock-wave that shook the huts ringing the road and nearly sending Kyūna-shi tumbling to the ground. A hissing sound started up as the being's poison dissolved some of the rocks and blood around it.

Sesshoumaru rose from the crater he had created, his figure proud and majestic as he slowly straightened to his full height, his golden eyes fixed upon the twosome standing to the side of him. His claws glowed with a poison that matched the cold, quiet fury blazing in the dai-youkai's eyes.

"Are you of Naraku's ilk?" he asked, voice emotionless.

**"Who are you that you would **_**dare **_**to attack Ky****ūna-shi****?" **the ōkami-youkai growled in response, gritting his fangs and clenching his free paw.

Sesshoumaru ignored the question, his eyes becoming impossibly colder as his eyebrows pulled down into a slight frown. "This Sesshoumaru asked you a question, ōkami-youkai. Are you of Naraku's ilk?"

Kyūna-shi drew back slightly, shivering at the force of the inu-youkai's death-glare. Quelled and slightly fearful, he turned to Mujōna for help. Mujōna didn't seem to be affected by Sesshoumaru's gaze; she returned the glare with one of her own.

"And what if we are?" she challenged.

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze upon Mujōna as if seeing her for the first time, his brows now pulling together in slight confusion. "What is this? Are you not of my bastard brother's flock; the miko bitch upon which he most relies?"

Mujōna smirked at Sesshoumaru as she slid down Kyūna-shi's arm, her feet landing with a small _splat _upon the blood-soaked ground. She stood tall and proud, facing Sesshoumaru without a shred of fear upon her face, looking and feeling like one who has the upper hand. "Let's just say I've had _a change of heart._"

Sesshoumaru's eyes flicked from the wakizashi clasped loosely in Mujōna's fist to the blazing red eyes that seemed very much out of place in the miko's delicate porcelain face. _'She is possessed by something then,' _he decided. _'As for the state of her mind...if she still resides within herself, this Sesshoumaru will be surprised.'_

"You are not acting of your own volition," Sesshoumaru stated. "Running with an ōkami-youkai that stinks of Naraku and slaughtering a village of humans are not actions my brother's bitch would usually take."

"How _astute_ of you," Mujōna sneered sarcastically. "You figured it out much faster than your idiot of a brother, Sesshoumaru-_sama._" The title came out as more of a disrespectful sneer.

**"Sesshoumaru?" **Kyūna-shi asked, his voice curious. **"Not the same Sesshoumaru who Naraku exploited to his own end? Not InuYasha's older youkai brother?"**

Sesshoumaru answered before Mujōna had a chance to. "You seem to know much about this Sesshoumaru," he said, his voice never rising above his usual calm, normal-level tone. "Some time spent talking with Naraku, I gather?"

**"I would never waste my time talking with one such as him!" **Kyūna-shi thundered, beating his chest with his fists. **"Naraku might have made me, but that does not make him my master!"**

"Kyūna-shi," Mujōna said softly, "you're making a scene."

Before Kyūna-shi could reply, Sesshoumaru cut him off with a glare. "Enough of this," Sesshoumaru growled softly, lifting one hand and cracking it, readying his claws for the fight to come. "If you truly are Naraku's minions, then I will kill you." With that, the dai-youkai charged, moving so impossibly fast that his body was a white streak against the dark afternoon. Mujōna, bravado temporarily forgotten in the face of death charging swiftly toward her, fell backward onto her butt, only just managing to shriek, "KYŪNA-SHI! PROTECT ME!"

Upon hearing Mujōna screaming the order, Kyūna-shi forgot whatever qualms he might've had about fighting Sesshoumaru. With a roar the ōkami-youkai charged forward, arms raised and claws outstretched, his mouth gaping wide open to expose his fangs. Sesshoumaru's stride wasn't even broken as he jumped out of the way of Kyūna-shi's blundering charge, sending the youkai charging into one of the flaming buildings framing the bloody road. It collapsed about his body, making him scream in pain as the fire seared his fur and burned his flesh.

Kyūna-shi threw the boards away from him as he rose and charged again, claws arching toward the dai-youkai's head. Sesshoumaru dodged again. "Do you think you can hurt this Sesshoumaru with such a slow and mindless attack?" he asked as his claws ripped five green trails through the night. Kyūna-shi let out a blood-curdling howl as the dai-youkai's claws severed his right arm at the shoulder, blood gushing from the wound as the lifeless furry limb fell to the ground, sitting in a pool of blood for a few seconds before vanishing in a small cloud of purple shouki. "Useless," the inu-youkai continued.

"H-How _dare _you attack Kyūna-shi!" Mujōna screamed, the wakizashi clutched tightly in her grasp as she charged toward Sesshoumaru in a red-eyed rage. Sesshoumaru didn't even turn around as he reached out, caught the wakizashi's blade as it whipped through the air in an attempt for a direct strike at his head and effortlessly snapped it. Then, the same hand flashed out and grasped the collar of Kagome's school uniform, pulling Mujōna forward until she was on her tiptoes. Then, slowly, inevitably, the dai-youkai turned to face her.

"As I told your youkai pet...any such attack against this Sesshoumaru is useless," Sesshoumaru informed her with the emotional detachment of a weather report. "Did you expect for this Sesshoumaru to have lowered his guard while dealing with the ōkami?"

Mujōna gave Sesshoumaru a frantic grin as she quickly tried to work something out. Behind Sesshoumaru, Kyūna-shi was slowly getting to his feet, his remaining paw covering the stump of his arm to staunch the blood flowing from his wound. The youkai/miko knew by looking that there was no way that Kyūna-shi was in any state to fight; with one arm missing and lots of blood lost, he would be at a severe disadvantage to the unharmed Sesshoumaru. She knew that the best thing for him to do at this point was run; run as far away as his wound allowed him. Which he would do-eventually. As for her...

"You can't kill me, Sesshoumaru," Mujōna told the inu-youkai, grinning madly at him. "I _am _possessing InuYasha's wench, after all; would you kill someone as important to him-to defeating Naraku-as me?"

"This Sesshoumaru cares not for articles that belong to that bastard hanyou," Sesshoumaru replied. Mujōna gulped and tried another tactic.

"T-Then you can't kill a helpless human! How dishonorable is that? I mean, at least let them put up a fight or _something!_" she cried desperately.

Sesshoumaru just stared down at her. "If you are associated with Naraku, this Sesshoumaru has no mercy to show you," he intoned. Then, he pushed Mujōna away from in a powerful shove and swung his claws at her in a vicious arc.

Whether it was luck, or divine intervention, or mercy, or one of those things humans call 'coincidence,' Sesshoumaru's blow just barely managed to graze Mujōna's arm, not even deep enough to poison her. It didn't even bleed that much; hardly fatal.

However, as far as luck went, that was where Mujōna's ran out.

_'He attacked me...I can't believe he attacked me!' _Mujōna thought wildly as she sailed backwards. _'Naraku-sama said that as long as I possessed this woman's body, __**nothing **__could touch me! Not youkai, not that filthy hanyou, not __**anyone!**__'_

_Reality sucks, doesn't it? _Kagome asked quietly. _**I **__could have told you that there would always be someone who would be able to kill me. Sesshoumaru is just one of them._

_'Dammit, I...I won't die here! I __**can't die!**__'_

_You're afraid, aren't you? _Kagome realized. If she had possessed a face at the moment, her eyes would have almost been pitying. _'You're afraid of going back to the darkness from where Naraku first summoned you. __**You're afraid of death; afraid enough to hide in me.**_

_'Sh-shut up! What about you?' _Mujōna taunted wildly. _'__**ALL **__humans fear death! You can't be an exception!'_

Kagome was silent for a fashion, making Mujōna cheer up slightly. Then, the miko 'spoke,' driving a hard shiver down her back. To add to the ominous words, a boom of thunder reverberated through the dark afternoon as the sky finally opened up and the rain began to pelt the Earth.

_Death holds no fear for me, Muj__ōna__. Not anymore. If it means you die, too, then I welcome it all the more._

Mujōna's reverse flight came to an abrupt halt when she landed with a tremendous _SPLASH _in the middle of the river she and Kyūna-shi had been discussing barely an hour before.

She got to discover first hand just how fast the river really was.

* * *

><p>The boom of thunder echoed through the forest, shaking the trees to their very roots and causing birds of all shapes and sizes to soar, shrieking, from the branches.<p>

"Sounds like it's going to rain soon," Miroku noted, unnecessarily, since as soon as the second word left his mouth the rain began to pound the Earth.

"Aww! I hate being caught in the rain!" Shippou whined, covering his tiny head with his paws and drawing close to Sango's ankle.

InuYasha, however, didn't even seem to notice the rain. He and Kikyou were both standing stock still, their faces fixed in the same direction.

"What is it?" Miroku asked, taking note of their stiff figures.

"I smelled somethin' weird before the rain started," InuYasha growled.

"Youki," Kikyou said simply.

"Where?" Sango demanded, already readying her Hiraikotsu. Kikyou raised one pale hand and pointed toward the South.

"Alright, let's go before this gets any worse!" InuYasha roared, already charging through the soggy grass. Kikyou summoned her shinidamachuu, commanding them to wrap themselves around her body so she could follow. Kirara managed to transform and take flight, though, as a fire-youkai, she was severely weakened by the rain, a fact which Sango knew well and apologized for, telling the nekomata that she would make it up to her somehow.

The group raced off for the south, hoping against hope that _this _time, they wouldn't be too late.


	22. Déjà Vu

The group was running as fast as they could toward the place where Kikyou said she could feel the youki. Each step put them closer and closer to their goal as they continually headed south, ready for whatever awaited them.

With each long stride he took, InuYasha felt like he was stepping back in time. It was odd, but he remembered doing this before, sometime not too long ago...

Why was this so familiar? Why did he feel like he had once done this; running toward an unknown destination, unsure of what he would find once he reached it?

Then, as he heard the soft sound of Kikyou's shinidamachuu flying behind him, the realization dawned on the hanyou with a sinking sensation: it was exactly like the time after the battle at Mt. Hakurei, when he had ran pell-mell toward the gorge where Kikyou had fallen to Naraku's attack, where he had searched for endless hours for her before finally concluding that he had failed her a second time. It was _that _timethat this run most resembled.

The eerie sense of déjà vu didn't just extend to the run, however. InuYasha felt a cold that had nothing to do with the rain slowly descend over his body. He remembered smelling the putrid scent of ōkami, as well as rotting flesh (similar to Naraku's) that was a sure sign that Kyūna-shi was nearby. InuYasha knew that wherever Kyūna-shi was, Mujōna wouldn't be too far away. If there was a village nearby, they were probably busy slaughtering it right now.

But the cold feeling that had fallen over the hanyou had nothing to do with the _villagers..._much like that time before with Kikyou, InuYasha's instincts were telling him that something had gone _wrong. _What that wrong could possibly be, InuYasha didn't know, but he sped up nonetheless, determined this time _not to fail._

_'I won't fail you, Kagome,' _InuYasha thought, eyes blazing as he finally made it to the muddy, riverlike expanse that had been the village's trail. _'Not this time. I WON'T FAIL YOU!'_

Above him, Miroku and Sango were trying very hard to see through the sheets of rain falling upon the land. However, what they thought they _could _see wasn't good. The houshi and taijiya could see the shadowy outline of the village before them, but they could also see faint tendrils of smoke rising from aforementioned village.

"Let's hurry," Miroku whispered to Sango. "If we move fast, we might be able to help somebody." Sango nodded, her jaw clenched tight as she urged the rapidly tiring fire-neko onward.

Kikyou, however, knew better. She could tell by the youki that permeated the land-and the youki still residing in the village-that this battle was long since finished. The rain may be washing the scent of the blood and fire away, but it could not cleanse the land of the foul aura of Kyūna-shi. At least, not yet.

InuYasha sensed it too as he neared the village; but not only that-through the scent of the rain, he thought he could smell his older brother. _'What the fuck is Sesshoumaru doing here?' _he wondered wildly. His wildly pounding feet kicked up mud and water mixed with a brownish red substance that looked suspiciously like blood. He ignored the splattering refuse as he pushed on, the déjà vu becoming more and more sinister with each step.

InuYasha skidded to a stop in the center of the ruined village, his gaze flicking left to right with a rapidity that was almost sickening. The hanyou took in the sight of the once-burning buildings, the large paw-prints in the ground, the occasional bodies that littered the ground, and-

For a split second, InuYasha was not in the middle of the destroyed village, being deluged with rain and ankle deep in a mixture of mud and blood.

For a split second, he was back at the ruins of Mt. Hakurei, facing a canyon that looked like it had been carved in the ground. His older brother Sesshoumaru had his back to him, and at his feet lay a bow, broken by some unknown force. His heart thudded wildly in his chest, desperate to be proven wrong about failing her again.

The inu-hanyou blinked rapidly, his heart pounding so fast now it seemed to be trying to escape the cage that was his chest. No, this _wasn't _Mt. Hakurei, and he _wasn't _facing a huge wound in the land. That was long since in the past, and he had all but put that horrifying event behind him...mostly.

However, in a cruel and horrifyingly accurate parody of that scene from Mt. Hakurei, Sesshoumaru was standing in front of InuYasha, his back facing him as the dai-youkai examined the swollen river in front of him. And, sitting at his feet, lay the broken fragments of what had once been a wakizashi.

_Muj__ōna__'s _wakizashi.

"Sesshoumaru!" InuYasha howled, leaping forward to confront the inu-youkai. Sesshoumaru turned toward him, his face just as stoic as ever, even though rivulets of rain were trailing down his bangs and face, soaking his clothing and occasionally clattering against his armor. "What the hell have you done?"

Sesshoumaru was quiet for a few seconds, searching his brother's frantic gaze with an almost disinterested gaze. Then, he spoke. "Once again, you are too late, hanyou. Naraku's underling has fled from here."

InuYasha relaxed slightly, until he realized Sesshoumaru had said _once again _and _underling, _singular. Did that mean one of them _couldn't _flee...or would never flee again? Also...was the dai-youkai also remembering the time at Mt. Hakurei?

"Which one?" InuYasha barked out, his hackles rising as a growl started up in his throat. "Which one ran away?"

Sesshoumaru blinked once, slowly. "Where are your manners, half-breed? Is this how you ask this Sesshoumaru for information?"

"I don't give a flying fuck about manners!" InuYasha shouted, swinging one fist out as he glared defiance at his last living family member. "Just tell me what I wanna know!" The hanyou didn't mention of how his heart was beating at a million miles a minute, as if it knew what was coming and was prepared to shred itself beforehand. This _couldn't _be...it _COULDN'T _be...not again...

"The one who called himself Kyūna-shi fled after this Sesshoumaru wounded him," the dai-youkai said. "He was reluctant to leave, but there was nothing to hold him here."

"What about Mujōna? What about the woman who was with him?" InuYasha demanded, outrage mixed with heartbreak clearly defined in his tone. "What happened to _her?_"

Sesshoumaru turned toward him and started walking, obviously intent on leaving the area before he got more soaked than he already was. "Dammit, bastard, I'm talking to you!" InuYasha roared, his hand flashing to the hilt of his Tetsusaiga. Sesshoumaru paused, his eyes flicking disdainfully over the soaked and enraged form of his brother.

"You admit that you know of your wench's involvment with Naraku?" he asked.

InuYasha's fangs flashed as he growled, "Kagome is _not _involved with Naraku! She's being _forced _by a youkai called Mujōna! Now, answer me-_what happened to Kagome?_"

Sesshoumaru was silent again, which made the few remaining strands of InuYasha's patience wear thin very quickly. Just when he had decided to draw the Tetsusaiga and force the answer out of his damn older brother's stoic mouth-and serve him right, too-Sesshoumaru began speaking again.

"While fighting this Sesshoumaru, the one you ask of fell backwards into the river." Sesshoumaru gestured to said river as he spoke. "This Sesshoumaru doubts that any human who fell into a river like this on a rainy day would ever have a chance at survival."

At first, the words just rang in the air, overriding the grumbling thunder and the pounding rain. Then, as inevitable as a falling meteor, the sinking feeling of helpless sorrow and rage descended upon InuYasha, just like it had back at Mt. Hakurei when he had discovered that Kikyou was 'gone.' He turned back to the river, his eyes frantically searching its banks as he slowly, as if he were reliving one of his most awful nightmares, moved toward it. That very same sense of inevitability was descending over him now, just as it had back at Mt. Hakurei. The sense that he could search forever and ever, and he still wouldn't be able to find the one he quested for, the one he lived and breathed for. His pace quickened as he started the search along the edge of the riverbank, intent on proving himself wrong and finding her safe and sound-or, at least, unharmed.

After watching his brother's actions for a while, Sesshoumaru gave a small snort and took off into the rainy afternoon, intent on returning to his ward, his servant and his dragon before the storm became much worse. Since Naraku's incarnation had fled and InuYasha wasn't intent on fighting him (at the moment) there was nothing there to hold the dai-youkai's interest.

_'We will meet again, half-breed,' _he thought, his gaze falling upon his younger brother. _'We will meet again, and then we shall decide just who gets to kill Naraku.'_

Just as the end of Sesshoumaru's mokomoko-sama vanished into the rainy sky, Kirara arrived at the center of the village, her red eyes dull and her tails sagging. When she landed with a great _SPLOSH _in the middle of the village, the fire-neko shrunk down to her minature self and curled up into a soggy cream-colored ball, too wet to continue. Sango gently picked her up and cradled her, stroking the black diamond on Kirara's forehead and apologizing to her in a whisper for pushing her so hard. Miroku looked around, his amethyst eyes searching amongst the battered and charred buildings, but failing to find his friend.

"Where's InuYasha?" Shippou asked, teeth chattering as he huddled in a sodden orange heap on Miroku's shoulder, drawing his little fur vest closer around himself in an attempt to ward of the chill of the rain.

"I don't know," Miroku said worriedly, still looking for the hanyou.

"It's no use," a voice said from behind them. The group turned to see Kikyou, who was standing some distance behind them. (Since she had been traveling behind InuYasha, she had arrived in the village at the same time he had, and had heard the conversation between him and his brother.) The rain running down her bangs served to hide her eyes from the questing gazes of the youkai taijiya and houshi, who tried to see what the miko was thinking. "InuYasha has left here to search the river over there."

"Why? What the hell's so important about the river?" Sango asked, clearly annoyed.

The undead miko looked at Sango, and though they couldn't see it, her eyes were sad. "Kagome was thrown into the river right when the storm started. She's most likely either been washed away or drowned by now."

Sango's anger dissolved in an instant, replaced by horror as she clapped her hands over her mouth. Miroku also looked shocked, and Shippou let out an anguished wail. Then, as one, the group turned toward the river, following their hanyou friend in the futile search for Kagome.

"There's nothing to be found there but sorrow," Kikyou told them softly, far too softly for them to hear. She watched them vanish swiftly amongst sheets of rain, their shadowy forms swallowed by the falling water. With a sigh, the undead miko set about the village, trying to determine which of the destroyed huts would be the best shelter.

_'I'm so sorry, InuYasha...but it's for the best. If Kagome died taking Muj__ōna__ with her, she probably has no regrets.'_

A sad smile crossed Kikyou's face as she looked back at the place where the river could be heard continuously rushing on its never-ending course.

_'That's a much better fate than the one I got fifty years ago, my one-time saiai.'_

* * *

><p>InuYasha ran, slipping and sliding through the mud, his eyes fixed on the churning muddy mass of the rapidly swelling river. More often than not, InuYasha had to move to higher ground as the river gained level upon level, growing more powerful from the runoff it obtained from the forest. The rapids slammed against rocks, powerful enough to destroy tree branches if they were unlucky enough to be caught in between.<p>

Sesshoumaru's words rang in InuYasha's mind: _"This Sesshoumaru doubts that any human who fell into a river like this on a rainy day would ever have a chance at survival." _He growled and shook his water-logged head, madly intent on his search. He _would _find her, he _would! _He WOULD NOT be a failure this time!

The river's rushing got steadily louder and louder, made worse from the sound of the rain pounding on the river's surface. The river was also growing wilder, seemingly thrashing against the banks as if it was determined to break free and spread across the land. InuYasha didn't care if the river broke the banks and flooded the forest; all he cared about was finding Kagome.

Then, InuYasha slowed his breakneck pace as he suddenly realized what the loud rushing and crashing sound was. His gaze went from angry to disbelieving in a single second as his knees trembled and gave out. He stared in front of him, his mind wiping itself of everything that was unimportant, everything that was _nothing _compared to this.

InuYasha was facing one of the biggest waterfalls he'd ever seen; it had to be seventy feet high at least, and made even more powerful by the multitudes of water that had swollen the river. The frothing water spilled over the edge, seemingly falling for eternity before smashing against the rocks that sat like spears at the waterfall's bottom, waiting for the chance to tear into any prey that might fall onto them.

Sesshoumaru's words reverberated in the hanyou's mind, burning themselves into his brain as they became more taunting and more painful than he thought possible. _"This Sesshoumaru doubts that any human who fell into a river like this on a rainy day would ever have a chance at survival."_

He had failed her again. Just when she had needed him most, _he had failed her again._

Nothing mattered anymore. Not Naraku, not the Shikon-no-Tama, not anything.

When Miroku and Sango arrived at the falls fifteen minutes later, it was to find InuYasha in exactly the same position he had been in when he had found the waterfall, his face blank now, staring at the scene before him. When Sango was about to ask him what had happened, Miroku put his good hand on her shoulder, silencing her. The houshi had noticed that there wasn't just rainwater running down the hanyou's face; their hanyou friend, the one who showed the least amount of emotion no matter what happened, _was crying. _

Miroku let his hand fall from Sango's shoulder as he approached InuYasha. Crouching down, the houshi seized the hanyou's upper arm and dragged him to his feet, skidding slightly because of the mud. Sango quickly went over and grabbed InuYasha's other arm, steadying them. Shippou leaped down from Miroku's shoulder, sniffling as great tears ran down his own face.

"Come on," Miroku instructed. "Let's take him back to the village. I think Kikyou-sama was looking for shelter when we left her; she's probably found something by now."

Sango nodded, not trusting herself to speak because of the lump in her throat. Together, she and Miroku began to drag the listless hanyou in the direction of the village, careful not to slip and fall into the river as they moved along the unstable bank. Shippou walked in front of them, sniffing and wiping his tiny paws across his eyes in an effort to clear both the rain and the tears from his face. From her position in Sango's soaked yukata, Kirara gave a faint, sorrowful mew.

The rain continued to pound down on the sorry group below, unrelenting even in the face of the worst day they had ever experienced as a group. Nothing, not losing to Naraku or seeing the deaths of a village, could ever have prepared them for the sorrow they were feeling now.

* * *

><p>Far away from the ruined village by the river, Naraku sat on the steps of his castle, his face barely masking the intense outrage he felt. His tails writhed and thrashed behind him, and the noxious shouki that surrounded his castle seemed to have become even more so.<p>

Sitting on the ground in front of him was the wounded figure of Kyūna-shi. The giant youkai was clutching the stump of his arm and groaning as blood continued to flow from the open wound. He didn't even seem to care that Narku was fixing him with a death-glare, he was in so much pain.

"You have failed me once too often, Kyūna-shi," Naraku intoned, every word dripping with cold outrage. "Not only do you lose your arm, you also manage to lose track of Mujōna, putting her _and myself _in danger!" Without warning, Naraku's right hand flashed, transforming into five long tentacles and wrapping themselves around Kyūna-shi's neck. "Give me a reason why I should let you live, Kyūna-shi, and I just might spare you," Naraku hissed, his voice deathly quiet.

**"Muj****ōna****!" **the giant told him, **"I protect Muj****ōna****, Naraku! Is that not worth my life? Keeping her safe is all I live for!"**

Naraku's eyes narrowed into red slits. "But you failed twice already. How do I know you won't fail me again, Kyūna-shi?"

**"I...I promise not to fail!" **Kyūna-shi thundered frantically, his remaining paw scrabbling at Naraku's tendrils, desparate to breathe. **"I swear on my life that I will not fail you again!"**

Naraku raised an eyebrow. "You would bet something I already consider worthless, Kyūna-shi?" The ōkami-youkai groaned as he took in what Naraku meant by that one question. If Naraku considered him worthless, then what would keep him alive?

**"Please," **he gasped, falling to his knees and placing his bloody paw on the ground. He bowed submissively as he cried, **"Please spare me, Naraku-sama!"**

Naraku considered for a moment, then he pulled the tendrils away. Kyūna-shi gulped down great breaths of air, massaging his throat with his paw. He glared at Naraku balefully, ashamed of the fact that he'd had to _beg _to go free. Naraku didn't seem to notice, though; he was too busy deliberating, ideas chasing themselves in his red eyes. Then, he seemed to decide something.

"Kyūna-shi...I will lend you something," Naraku purred as he stepped off the wooden stairs and approached his incarnation. Kyūna-shi drew back, his face filled with trepidation. The dark hanyou raised an eyebrow, but did not comment. Instead, he lifted one pale hand and showed Kyūna-shi what he was holding.

**"Is...is that a shikon-no-kakera?" **he asked, his red eyes flashing with sudden greed.

"It is," Naraku confirmed. "I will give it to you, but you must understand this," Naraku told the ōkami-youkai, his red eyes glowing smugly. "If you take this shikon-no-kakera and use it, then you must do _exactly as I say. _You are putting your life into my hands, Kyūna-shi. If I so choose, I can kill you, no matter how far you run or how strong you make yourself."

Kyūna-shi thought about it for a few seconds before putting his giant paw out. Naraku's smile became even more smug and satisfied as he placed the pink shard on Kyūna-shi's paw-pad. The hanyou watched as he stuck it in his arm stump, grunting slightly as the shard glowed pink before darkening to a deep black color.

"Use it well, Kyūna-shi," Naraku told him. "I would be _very _upset with you if you failed me a _third _time."

**"Don't worry, Naraku-sama," **Kyūna-shi replied, his gaping mouth twisting into a snarl. **"I intend to retrieve Muj****ōna**** and make InuYasha and all who stand on his side **_**suffer **_**for what they've done to us!" **The shikon-no-kakera glowed with impure light as it slowly rebuilt the arm Kyūna-shi had lost. When it was done, he thumped his fist into the palm of his new hand, growling, **"I will teach them Naraku-sama's meaning of Hell on Earth!"**

* * *

><p>saiai-beloved<p> 


	23. I Will Survive

The dull roar of water thundered in her ears, muted by the fact that she was under the crashing rapids. Her frail body was tossed about like a leaf in a hurricane, chucked from one strong current to the next and spinning over and over so many times that she lost all sense of up and down, left and right. Then, there came the sickening lurch of a great fall as she and the waters of the river fell from a great height, hitting something with enough force to knock her senseless.

The miko drifted underneath the now-calming river, her dull eyes fixed on the equally dull surface of the river. Her dimming mind was tumbling through a thousand thoughts a minute, as if determined to relieve each and every memory she had before the eventual end.

Her family; her kind chichi-ue, who died nearly eleven years before when she wasn't even old enough to remember him that well, her mama, who always worried about her, Souta, was he even old enough for junior high yet? Her ji-chan and his obsession with ancient and (sometimes) valuable artifacts...how could she die on them like this?

Then, her thoughts went to her friends. While she had liked Yuka, Eri and Ayumi before her eventful fifteenth birthday, they had grown ever more shallow to her until they were nothing more than nattering twits whose concerns didn't branch out beyond boys, high school and clothes. Yet, she still missed them.

And what of her friends here? Would Miroku-sama ever get the curse of the Kazaana removed? Would Sango-chan ever get past the deaths of her people, recover Kohaku and get together with Miroku-sama? Would Shippou-chan grow up into a dai-youkai, like he always boasted?

InuYasha. What about InuYasha? What would he do? Would he mourn her once she was gone, or would he just say "Feh, it's a shame," before heading off to be with Kikyou?

The last thought depressed her so much that her body sank even lower into the waters of the river, weighing her down like rocks and iron bars. Her eyes flickered closed as her cloudy mind drifted away, perhaps never to return.

_..._

_Kagome opened her eyes. Her head hurt, like someone had used it for a drum. She moaned slightly and moved to get up, only to realize she couldn't. When she looked on either side of her, she saw that her hands were bound with thick chains that had blue flames flickering around some of the links. She was in a kneeling position, her knees aching from staying in that position too long. Kagome pulled against the chains, but to no avail. They were much stronger than they looked, and Kagome's recent battle with Naraku, though short, had apparently taken a lot out of her. _

_"Wait a minute," she muttered to herself. "If we were fighting with Naraku, then...then..."_

_"Correct, Kagome," a cold voice purred, "You are in my castle...as my most unwilling guest."_

_Kagome's head jerked up, her eyes scanning the darkness for the source of the dreaded voice. Then, her worst fears were confirmed when she spotted Naraku lurking in a patch of darkness, his eyes the only part of him that was even remotely visible._

_"Naraku! Dammit, why have you chained me up like this?" Kagome raged, forgetting fear and pain as her courage rushed to the front. "What the hell are you after?"_

_Naraku strode forward, stepping into the pale light of the blue flames. His eyebrow rose as he contemplated the girl in front of him. "Is that any way to treat your host, Kagome? I thought you would know better."_

_"I don't care if you're one of the Kami, Naraku," Kagome spat. "I would rather __**die **__than show respect to a manipulative bastard like you!"_

_Naraku tsked and took another step forward. "Such anger and violence for one so pure. It shows that you, like Kikyou before you, underestimate the power of your reiki."_

_"Don't you DARE compare me to Kikyou!" Kagome yelled, straining against the chains in an effort to show her foe that she didn't fear him, defying her captor with every cell in her body. Naraku seemed amused by Kagome's show of force; a smirk spread slowly across his face with every word she spoke._

_"Your anger is good. It shows I wasn't completely crazy when I decided to include you in my plans," he said, almost to himself. _

_"No, you __**are **__crazy! I know for a fact that the only thing you want from me is for some youkai to push me off a cliff so I can die a horrible death, you monster!" Kagome shouted, eyes narrowing suspiciously all the same. _

_"That is true, I did want you dead," Naraku admitted. "But then I thought of a much better purpose for you, dear Kagome-my shield. If you stand in front of me, no-one will attack Naraku, and I will truly be invincible."_

_"I will __**never **__stand in front of you, Naraku, not if you threatened me with a thousand youkai and an eternity in Hell, I wouldn't!" Kagome snapped, venom dripping from every word. _

_Naraku raised an eyebrow as he slowly walked forward, holding his left hand out carefully, as if he were holding something precious. "Ah, but why should I use a thousand youkai when one can do the job with more pleasing results?"_

_Kagome blinked, screwing up her eyes to see what Naraku was holding. Then, she recoiled._

_Wrapped around Naraku's wrist in some parody of a bracelet was a slimy black...__**thing. **__It looked like some sort of eel, except it possessed neither eyes, nose, mouth or scales. It wriggled and squirmed madly in his grasp, as if it was eager to be free. _

_"What...what in the name of all the Kami is __**that**__?" Kagome cried, disgust plain to hear in her voice._

_Naraku raised his right hand and ran a pale index finger along the thing's head (or, at least, what Kagome fervently hoped was the head) which turned and wrapped itself around his finger, its wriggling becoming a little less intense. "'That,' my dear Kagome, is my newest incarnation, and the reason you will obey my every command. Her name is Muj__ōna__. It describes her perfectly; she loves slaughter, carnage, cruelty, hatred and all the rest. In short, she is everything you could never be."_

_Kagome drew back as far as the chains would allow her, eying Muj__ōna__ warily. "'She' doesn't look strong enough to force me into doing anything. At least, not by herself."_

_Naraku shook his head with a sigh. "Muj__ōna__ does not need a strong body to coerce you into doing anything, Kagome...as you soon will see." With that, the dark hanyou strode forward, reaching out with his left hand. Muj__ōna__ squirmed again, wriggling down his wrist and onto the back of his hand, stretching out until she rested on the tip of his middle finger, the end of her body pointed eagerly at the point of contact: Kagome's right hand. _

_In that instant, with a lurching nausea rising in her stomach, Kagome knew what was going to happen. "No...you can't...YOU CAN'T DO THIS, YOU MONSTER!" she screamed, trying to twist away from Naraku, but failing. Why, oh why, dear Kami, must she be too weak to use her powers when she needed them the most?_

_"Don't worry, Kagome," Naraku chuckled, his hand only inches from hers. "By the time Muj__ōna__ is done, you won't remember a thing." _

_Then, Muj__ōna__ had moved off Naraku's hand and onto her own. Kagome cried out at the sticky cold feeling of the slime on Muj__ōna__'s body, which seemed to reach through her clothes to coat the skin of her arm in ice. Moving like some sort of serpent, the black eel-thing moved down Kagome's arm, bypassing her elbow and approaching her shoulder. The miko screamed even louder when she reached the bare flesh of her neck and she felt the horrible slimy flesh of the youkai press against her own._

_But the worst was still to come._

_Muj__ōna__ slowly crawled up Kagome's neck, the front end of her body slithering over the strong ridge of her jawbone and onto her cheek, pushing onwards and ignoring Kagome's increased screaming. Then, her deathly-cold and snot-like body was touching her earlobe, seeking blindly until it found the entrance to the miko's ear canal. Then, with the determination of a creature who knew it was at the end of its journey, Muj__ōna__ pushed her way inside._

_Kagome's scream rattled her teeth and tore at her throat, but those pains were nothing compared to the pain of Muj__ōna__ wriggling in her ear, nimbly pushing her way past the three tiny bones located inside as she moved onward. Kagome's head thrashed left and right as she rubbed the side of her head frantically against her shoulder, trying desperately to get Muj__ōna__ out of there. The miko no longer cared that Naraku was watching, she no longer cared about the fact that she was imprisoned and there was nothing she could do; all she cared about was __**getting Muj**__**ōna**__** out of her body.**_

_The end of Muj__ōna__'s tail disappeared inside of her ear with a small POP. The youkai was now fully seated inside the twisting canal, her pulsating flesh pushing against the delicate walls with sickening intensity. However, that wasn't to be Muj__ōna__'s final destination. Naraku's new incarnation was still moving, the icy feeling of her skin spreading through her ear canal to her mouth, her nose, her cheeks, her neck, down to the tips of her fingers and toes, up to the very roots of her hair. Kagome let out a sobbing wail as her head thrashed, fighting against the youkai that was invading her body. _

_But to no avail; the twisty wriggly feel of Muj__ōna__'s slimy body disappeared from Kagome's ear, shortly before the pain to end all pains started up in Kagome's head. Muj__ōna__ was wriggling slowly into the miko's brain, spreading her skinny body out over each contour and sinking deep into her mind._

_If Kagome had been screaming before, it was nothing compared to how she was screaming now._

_"NOOO_OOOOOOO!"

Kagome's head broke the surface of the gently flowing river with a tremendous _SPLASH, _the very last of her air escaping her lungs in the weak but still powerful cry. Then, Kagome choked and spat, clearing the water out of her system as she feebly set out for shore. Every muscle in her body ached as though she had been thrown over a waterfall; which, if Kagome remembered correctly, she had.

Even though the current was barely pushing at her body, Kagome felt like she was fighting through the worst of tidal waves as she made her way to shore, her body was so weak. Finally, after a good ten minutes of paddling, Kagome slowly dragged herself to the shore, panting heavily as water ran down her body onto the banks of the river. She only managed to get herself halfway out before what pitiful dregs of strength remained her left. Kagome collapsed onto the grassy bank, panting heavily as she filled her lungs with the beautiful, purifying oxygen. The sky overhead was gray and overcast, like it was about to rain, but to the miko who had been facing death, it couldn't have been more beautiful.

_'I don't know why I'm still alive...but I'm grateful. I didn't want to die like that...at the bottom of a river, all alone...' _Kagome shivered, partially from the thought of dying alone, but mostly from the fact that she was soaked to the bone, and the slight breeze blowing through Nippon was making her very cold.

Not only that, but she had finally remembered the one thing that had escaped her memory: the moment when Mujōna had entered her body, setting the wheel of events in motion. Kagome shuddered at the newly regained memory. How _horrible _it had been; the slimy feel of Mujōna's skin, the coldness that spread through her body at the youkai's touch, the way everything had gone blank when Mujōna had stopped moving..._terrible._

_'Wait a second,' _Kagome thought, her brow furrowing slightly. _'Where __**is **__Muj__ōna__? Normally she'd be cussing me out and praising Naraku to no end right now.' _

Then again, the fight with Sesshoumaru and her defeat, not to mention the ride they had taken down the river and over the waterfall had probably taken a lot out of the youkai. Luckily for Kagome, that meant she had control of her own body again. However, there was no way to tell how long it would last before Mujōna woke up and took control again.

_'I'd better make the most of this,' _Kagome thought. With that, she began dragging herself up again, using the grass to help her on her way. When she had gotten her legs up on the bank, Kagome somehow managed to push herself to her feet, wincing as her battered body protested. Slowly, carefully, she began moving forward, stumbling over her own feet and on minor obstacles, her body aching and her head pounding. Still, she knew she had to move on.

_'I can't stay here...InuYasha...I have to find...InuYasha! I need to tell him...about Muj__ōna__. What she is to Naraku, and all that...' _The thought of finding InuYasha gave Kagome some strength, allowing her to walk a little faster and enter the dark depths of the forest without too much difficulty.

_'InuYasha...oh, InuYasha, my dearest, bravest inu-hanyou..please be all right when I find you,' _Kagome prayed, using the trees as rails to guide her on her way. She didn't know where she was going, but hopefully, her path and InuYasha's would cross eventually.

All she could do at this moment was hope.

* * *

><p>The hut was small and shabby, but the only damage that had been done to it was a slight scar on its face from what looked like one of Kyūna-shi's claws. It sheltered the group from the rain that still pounded the earth outside, washing away the taint that Naraku's incarnations had forced upon the land.<p>

InuYasha sat on the outermost edge of the wooden floor, staring out at the drab gray surroundings. Even though it had been a full fifteen minutes since Miroku and Sango had helped him get into the hut so he could dry off, the hanyou's skin was as cold as ice, as if the rain was still pounding against his body. He knew that the taijiya had made a fire as soon as they had entered the hut, but none of its warmth seemed to be able to reach his body.

His mind was overrun, swirling in a pool of happy memories, sad memories, and every sort in between. Even though they were all separate memories, they all had one thing in common: Kagome. Kagome's laughter, her tears, her anger, joy...everything that InuYasha had learned about her, and a few he sometimes imagined. They all mixed in his brain, mixed into a slideshow of _Kagome. _

But no matter how happy the memory had once been, each event drove an icy spike of remorse, shame, sorrow and the like into the hanyou's scarred heart. No matter how his friends tried to put it, InuYasha knew in his soul that he had failed her again.

_'Again...' _he thought dully. _'How many times have I failed her before?' _

The depressed hanyou hung his head, unwilling to try to compute beyond that thought. His heart hurt more than he thought was possible. He wished for anything to relieve this pain, even for the numbness that the fifty year seal had put upon him. Anything would be better than the low throbbing pain that had replaced his heartbeat.

The rest of the group sat huddled around the fire, poking at the pitiful remainder of Kagome's Heisei jidai food that they were preparing for lunch/dinner. Occasionally, one of them would flick a glance toward InuYasha, but none of them got up or made any sort of move toward the hanyou. They had no words to comfort him; how would they, when they were just as hurt as he was? Their good friend Kagome had most likely died a painful and slow death, and there were no words to alleviate that loss.

Kikyou sat in the furthest corner from the group, her eyes closed as if she were meditating. Of the six members of the group, she was the one who was mostly unaffected by Kagome's loss. She knew that Kagome had to die, no matter what the cause of death might be. However, the undead miko could understand why the group felt such sorrow; even though they knew that Kagome's death was inevitable, the knowledge would not lessen the pain of her loss. The miko sighed slightly; of the two miko, Kikyou knew that Kagome was more loved. After all, this group had nearly broken into pieces just because she had been seized by Naraku. Now that it seemed she was actually dead, their resolve seemed to be like the blood beneath the rain, diluting and dispersing until it was almost nonexistent.

As for InuYasha? The undead miko cracked one eye open and looked over at the object of her thoughts. The pride had been completely wiped from his figure now; he looked like a lost, beaten puppy, his shoulders slumped and ears drooped. His youki had dimmed even further than it had when Kikyou had first felt it back at the shrine in the forest; if she could have given it a color, it would have been the dull, lifeless gray of dead human flesh. Had it ever been so after her death? Kikyou could not think of a time when InuYasha's youki had ever felt so lusterless, at least, not in her presence. It seemed that Kagome had more of a hold on the hanyou's heart than Kikyou could ever have dreamed of.

_'So...is it truly her you love now?' _Kikyou asked silently. _'Was I right in thinking that she means more to you than I ever did?'_

"Kikyou-sama," Miroku said quietly, interrupting Kikyou's train of thought. "What do you think we should do now?"

The undead miko looked at him with her haunting brown eyes. "What do you think, houshi?"

Instead of replying, Miroku held up his cursed right hand. "This curse upon my hand was placed upon my grandfather by Naraku, and only his death will remove it. Since Naraku still lives, I say that we continue our mission; destroy Naraku at all costs." Kikyou flicked a glance over at Sango, who nodded her assent with Miroku's statement. Kikyou nodded as well, satisfied by the response. Even though they were hurting, the rest of the group seemed willing, if not eager, to continue their mission. She looked over at InuYasha again, her eyes almost pitying. _'We shall have to help him find the resolve to hunt and defeat Naraku once more,' _she thought. _'He has lost himself within his sadness, and I do not think it will be easy for him to find himself again. There is most likely only one person who could pull him out of this...but her death was also what caused his condition.'_

Kikyou smiled wryly, unable to prevent the brief flash of jealousy from streaking across her features.

_'Kagome...how did you get such a hold on InuYasha's heart?'_


	24. To Mend A Broken Heart

Time had lost all meaning for the tired and weakened miko who was stumbling half-blindly through the forest. Kagome had lost all sense of direction ages before, but knew that if she stopped, she risked being picked up as an easy snack by some wild animal or youkai. Although, she told herself with a bitter laugh, if a youkai or wild animal wanted to eat her, they wouldn't have too much trouble in doing so.

She recalled the time when she had been nearly mindless and witless, when her memories had still been sealed and she'd had no idea who she was. It was a lot worse to wander the world when you had no idea who you were. She might still be lost and weak, but at least _this _time, Kagome knew everything; who she was, what her purpose was, who she needed to trust.

_'It's much better to travel and know who you are than wander and have no idea,' _she reasoned, trying hard to drag one foot in front of the other while ignoring the deep grumbles coming from her belly, as well as the dry dust lining her throat. Her head pounded, her body ached and her heart throbbed. Kagome was rapidly weakening, and if she didn't find food, water and shelter soon, she would expire from starvation, dehydration and lack of rest.

_'I...I can make it!' _Kagome thought, squinting through her blurry vision and struggling to breathe normally. Her breath came in great rasps, dragging painfully over the dry skin lining her throat and drying it further. _'I won't let anything stop me...I can make it! I __**will **__make it!'_

But though her spirit was willing, her body was weak. Her pace, already slow, slowed further until she was practically crawling, her limbs trembling so violently that it was hard for her to keep her balance. Her head started spinning, her vision blurring even more than it already had. Not only that, but the miko was starting to hallucinate, her feverish eyes flicking from left to right as the youkai of her imagination started haunting her.

As she continued to drag herself forward, inch by pitiful inch, a patch of sunlight cutting through the leaves of the forest solidified, morphing and changing until it had taken the form of a pale young woman, dressed in a white haori and red hakama that flowed loosely around the ankles. Her hair was cut and bound hime-style, framing a pale, sorrowful face. The eyes, however, were not brown, as they usually were, but glowing like white-hot coals.

_"Why don't you just give up and die?" _the hallucinatory Kikyou taunted, a cruel smirk crossing over her face. _"Then __**I **__shall be free to possess InuYasha's heart...like I already would have if you hadn't butted in, you sham of a miko."_

"No...not true..." Kagome gasped, wiping a hand across her dry forehead. Her sweat had dried up long before, and her skin was now barren as a desert and just as lifeless. But she didn't notice, so far gone was she in her own imagination. "InuYasha...free to choose..."

_"Yes, he is free to choose...but why wouldn't he choose me? Why would he ever want a weak, spoiled little brat like you?" _the fake miko sneered, the glowing light that replaced her eyes shining even more brightly. _"He'll choose me, and you'll die knowing that he chose me, fake."_

"Not...am not...fake!" Kagome cried, her voice cracking three times in the middle of her sentence. "You...body...clay..."

_"I may have a fake body, but my __**soul **__is still the same. InuYasha realizes this, and because of this, he will choose me. Stupid little girl, clinging onto a false hope and a dream that will never come to fruition. Who's to say that he hasn't chosen me already, isn't right now dreaming of me?" _Kikyou's face leered down at Kagome, twisting until it was a horrendous mask of her usually stoic face.

"No..." Kagome wheezed, blinking back hot, burning tears. How she could cry during a state of advanced dehydration was anyone's guess, but she still managed it.

Her imaginary enemy was right, though. Why would InuYasha want to waste his emotion on somebody like her? Why would he, when Kikyou had given her very life for him? Surely he would choose someone who had devotion of that magnitude, rather than someone who ran away at the drop of a hat.

What did she have, compared to Kikyou?

Sorrow overwhelmed her exhausted body, forcing the last drops of energy from her body. Kagome fell to her knees, then fell forward onto the grassy forest floor, the grass cool and soft against her fevered skin. Her breathing became shallow as her battered body relaxed against the grass, ready to give up the ghost and surrender to death.

_'Alone...' _she thought, one tear managing to ooze out of her eye and trail down her face. _'Why do I have to die all alone? Why?'_

With that last thought resounding miserably in her head, Kagome slipped into unconsciousness.

* * *

><p>After the rain stopped, Miroku and Sango went outside to survey the damage.<p>

Though most of the buildings had avoided destruction, quite a few of them had either been knocked down or burned down. And as for the people...there wasn't a living person in sight. They had either died or fled the village long since now.

"So...should we perform last rites for the dead?" Sango asked, her voice unusually quiet.

Miroku nodded. "Not just for these people, though," he amended. "We shall also include those who died in the first village, where we were wounded and unable to do so."

Sango nodded in agreement. She spent some time scavenging for a shovel she could use. When she finally found one, she started widening a large hole she found in the Earth for a mass grave. While she did this, Miroku went around and started dragging the bodies of the slain into a straight line, murmuring prayers over each and every one as he did so.

Kikyou watched the two of them work from inside the hut, her eyes veiled. She watched as sweat beaded on Sango's brow as the taijiya chucked endless scoops of dirt over her shoulder, making the already large dent in the earth longer and wider to accommodate all of the dead. The houshi was praying again, holding his good hand before him while his lips moved soundlessly (to Kikyou, at least).

_'Their hearts are truly kind, if they are willing to lay strangers to rest,' _Kikyou thought with the shadow of a smile briefly crossing her face. It quickly vanished as she turned back to the members of the group who still sat inside the hut. Shippou was curled up in a corner, sniffling quietly to himself as he pretended to sleep. Kirara lay next to him, her red eyes glimmering slightly when she noticed that Kikyou was looking at her.

InuYasha was still sitting in the same place he had been when Miroku and Sango had brought him into the hut, still staring out the open door. His eyes were dull and lifeless, the eyes of a soulless doll who couldn't think or act for itself. She suspected that the hanyou had gone away, deep down inside himself, somewhere where he couldn't be hurt any more; either that, or it was a place where he wallowed in his guilt and sorrow.

"InuYasha? Are you all right?" Kikyou asked. She knew he wasn't; it was more to test his reaction to people trying to interact with him. InuYasha's right ear flicked, but that was it.

"InuYasha, you should help the houshi and taijiya with their work. It will be better than sitting around doing nothing," Kikyou told him. Again, the hanyou didn't reply. However, he stood up and walked out the door, shoulders slumped and head slightly bowed. Kikyou followed after him, much like a mother might follow after a toddler who was just learning how to walk, just to make sure he didn't fall over and hurt himself.

Miroku and Sango looked up from their work, their faces happy at first before they noticed how blank the hanyou looked. He stood in front of them, hands tucked in the sleeves of his haori, eyes fixed on something they couldn't see.

"Um...do you want to help me dig the grave?" Sango asked, holding out the extra shovel she had found. InuYasha shrugged, but reached out and grabbed the shovel all the same. Sango gestured to the area where she was working, and the hanyou started digging like a robot on a predetermined course of action.

Kikyou walked over to Miroku, her eyes solemn. "Can you see what is wrong with InuYasha?"

Miroku nodded, his face mirroring the undead miko's. "I think so. He's withdrawn into himself...now he's just like one of those golems Naraku used to make; he obeys any command given to him, but can't really think for himself."

"Hai," Kikyou affirmed. "I think InuYasha was more hurt than any of us could have imagined when he learned of Kagome's demise. Most likely he's withdrawn so he can hide from the pain, or he's in a place where he's a constant failure. Both are likely, but only he knows which is the reality."

Miroku looked over at his hanyou friend. He was digging, but his motions had none of the energy that characterized InuYasha. They were listless, almost dead. The hanyou's heart wasn't in his work, and it showed. "I can understand how he feels. He thought he failed you twice, Kikyou-sama, and both times it resulted in your 'death.' Now he thinks he's failed Kagome-sama, and it's surely that fact that made him this way."

Kikyou sighed, but didn't reply. Miroku slanted a glance over at her, his eyes slightly wary. "Are you still sure that we shouldn't tell him that Kagome-sama's death was inevitable, no matter how it came about?"

"No, it will only make things worse," Kikyou replied with a shake of her head. "He'll get angry at us and say it was our fault that Kagome died, or perhaps go crazy and pursue Naraku with little regard for his own life. If he gets killed, then Kagome would surely be unhappy, no matter where she is now. Don't tell him, houshi."

"All right," Miroku said, bowing his head in both consent and defeat. _'But if I think it will benefit him, then I __**will **__tell him, Kikyou-sama,' _he added in his head. _'I do not like to see him suffering like this.'_

The job was finished several hours later, just as the sun was beginning to set. The dirt had been packed into place, and Miroku had said one last prayer to the departed. Kikyou, who had been watching the whole affair with a neutral expression on her face, chose the moment right after Miroku had finished to stride forward and talk to the sorrowful group.

"I think that we should leave the village tonight," she told them. "Every moment we are not moving is a moment that Naraku's living incarnation gets farther and farther away from us. If he starts slaughtering villages again, then this will happen again and again in a never-ending trail of blood and fire. We must stop him...at all costs."

"Maybe _you _could manage to leave tonight, Kikyou," Sango snapped, her eyes narrowing, "but most of us need our rest! We can't just go out when we've already been traveling all day!"

Kikyou's eyes narrowed, but she didn't contest the taijiya's claim. Miroku walked over to Sango and placed his good hand on her back. She stiffened, expecting the hand to travel lower, but to her immense surprise and relief the houshi did not attempt to grope her. She relaxed ever so slightly, still exchanging a death-glare with Kikyou.

Then, InuYasha surprised them all by speaking.

"I agree with Kikyou. We gotta make use of every hour we've got." The hanyou's voice was emotionless, empty of everything that made it InuYasha.

"InuYasha, I know you're hurting right now," Miroku stated, his eyes narrowing slightly, "but now is _not _the time to be pushing yourself. Running yourself into the ground isn't going to bring Kagome-sama back to life."

InuYasha stiffened, a flash of anger darting through his golden irises before melting back into a dimly neutral expression. "That's not why I'm agreeing with her, baka," he contradicted. "It'll be the fastest way to defeat Naraku, don't you think?"

"More like the fastest way to kill yourself," Sango muttered under her breath.

"If you want to stay behind, then stay behind," Kikyou said calmly. "We shall go ahead."

Sango opened her mouth to argue some more, but Miroku cut her off with a brief glare. "If that is what you wish," he said, his voice soft. "But please be careful, you two."

Kikyou nodded and turned away. "Come on then, InuYasha." InuYasha followed her, hands back in his sleeves, the blank look back on his face.

Miroku and Sango watched their friend and the undead miko walk slowly away, quickly vanishing amongst the shadows of the standing huts. Both of them fervently hoped that they hadn't said goodbye to them for the final time.

* * *

><p>A guttural cawing slowly pulled Kagome out of her exposure-cause unconsciousness. When she opened her eyes, she saw carrion crows standing next to her, and thought she could hear more of them circling overhead. The bolder crows were already hopping closer, their small heads cocked and their beady eyes calculating. Kagome blinked slowly, too weak to move a muscle. <em>'So this is how it ends,' <em>she thought, closing her eyes again. _'I get eaten alive by crows.'_

The first crow hopped onto her back, beak clacking as it studied the back of her neck. Its eyes flashing hungrily as it stared at her neck. The flesh looked soft and fresh; this creature hadn't been dead for very long, or was still trying to cling to whatever life remained it. The crow didn't care either way; meat was meat, and it hadn't tasted fresh meat in a rather long time.

So, the crow opened its beak and aimed a sharp peck at the soft flesh lining Kagome's neck. She moaned slightly, but didn't move. Emboldened by the first crow's actions, the other crows started moving forward one by one, each one studying an area of the miko's body before starting to peck slowly at the flesh. The crows in the sky started circling lower and lower, trying to find a spot to land that hadn't already been taken, not that they weren't above pushing other crows out of the way.

Kagome closed her eyes again, surrendering her last ties to life, ready to let the birds eat her and die without a fight.

* * *

><p>The forest was unusually quiet. Most of the animals that lived in the forest had probably run away from the area when Kyūna-shi and Mujōna had attacked the village, and had probably run even further when they sensed Sesshoumaru coming. It looked like they wouldn't be coming back for a while, which suited Kikyou just fine. She preferred the silence anyway.<p>

InuYasha strode beside her, his eyes unfocused and glassy. Kikyou was surprised that InuYasha didn't run into any trees in his current state, but the hanyou seemed to have enough presence of mind to be able to avoid obstacles. However, it made him a rather unnerving travel companion. Any attempts she made at talking to him were met by a small grunt or more silence.

_'This is becoming very worrisome,' _Kikyou thought, occasionally flicking glances toward the hanyou when she had the chance. _'If he does not come out of this stupor...' _The thought trailed off as Kikyou became lost in contemplation.

Then, suddenly, InuYasha stopped. "What the hell?" he murmured, looking over to the right. Kikyou followed his gaze and saw a flock of what appeared to be crows circling a small section of forest some distance away from them.

"Carrion crows, I think," Kikyou observed. "They have probably found a corpse of some sort." InuYasha started moving toward them, prompting Kikyou to raise her eyebrow at him. "What are you doing, InuYasha?"

"Who knows, it could be one of the villagers," InuYasha replied, still moving. "Maybe we could help 'em."

Kikyou sighed, but followed him. "When did you become such a nice person, InuYasha?" she asked, a little mockingly.

InuYasha snorted halfheartedly. "I ain't nice."

Kikyou left it at that; the fact that she'd managed to have a small conversation with InuYasha was nothing short of a miracle from above. _'It gives him a little hope at recovery, at least,' _she reasoned with a small smile. _'Anyway, he is right. If it is a villager, we need to try and help him or her any way we can. It's what I would have done when I was alive.'_

The last few rays of the setting sun cut through the forest like knives making the trunks of the trees look almost black in the gold and pink light. The caws of the crows became louder as they approached the spot where they had congregated.

InuYasha kept walking forward mechanically, focusing more on putting one foot in front of the other than on the crows. His thoughts were rushing a million miles a minute, trying to hide from what he had allowed to happen on that day. With a shake of his head, the hanyou purposefully redirected his thoughts to the task at hand. A small smile briefly flashed over his features as he thought of what he was doing. Kagome definitely would have approved.

The small clearing where the crows had gathered came into focus, the rays of the setting sun glittering on the crows' feathers like light on an oil spill. The crows were all surrounding a pitifully small body; probably a woman or a child, then, InuYasha reasoned. He drew closer still, now nearly a few feet away from the nearest crow. He squinted slightly, trying to make out the figure beneath the shuffling feet and shifting feathers. After a few minutes, he managed to discern that some of the blackness wasn't the crows' feathers, but the woman's long, raven-black hair. Then, his gaze traveled lower, and found a sleeve that was of a strange white and green fabric, though it was tattered and bloodstained almost beyond recognition.

InuYasha stiffened, eyes widening to their fullest extent, unwilling to believe the evidence of his eyes. But...it couldn't be!

A small moan came from the ragged girl on the ground as the crows' pecking became more insistent. InuYasha's ears popped up at the weak sound.

_She was still alive._

With a roar, the hanyou lunged forward, claws flashing and fangs snapping. The crows shrieked and scattered, unwilling to face this fierce and hostile creature. A few unfortunates were caught by InuYasha's claws and went down with screams of pain. After a few seconds of snarling and snapping, the crows had all fled, leaving InuYasha and their thwarted meal.

InuYasha moved quickly, his heart pounding in his throat as he crouched beside the prone form of the young miko. He picked her up and cradled her in his arms, tears beginning to gather in his eyes. Maybe it was a dream, maybe a hallucination, but whatever it was, InuYasha was going to accept it.

At that moment, Kikyou entered the clearing, looking more frantic than she usually did. Upon hearing the hanyou's screeching roars, she had hurried after him, concerned for his well being. "InuYasha, what in the name of the Kami is going on?" she demanded, right before she saw the pitiful body lying in his arms.

"Kagome," InuYasha groaned softly, nuzzling her fevered face and completely ignorant of his audience, "Kami, Kagome, you're alive. _You're alive._"


	25. Revelation

The fire crackled softly in the middle of the clearing, illuminating the small form of the young miko who still lay prone upon the ground. The dim orange light of the flames were the only source of light, as the sun had set fully nearly an hour ago. Kagome was breathing shallowly, her dry tongue occasionally sneaking out to caress her parched lips as her eyes roved restlessly beneath her eyelids. She needed food and water, and _fast. _

Which was why InuYasha was nowhere to be found in the camp, having left some time earlier for some quick foraging while Kikyou opted to stay behind with the exhausted girl. Understandably, InuYasha had balked at first, but when Kikyou said she would never sink so low as to kill a helpless human, he finally trusted her enough to leave, though he glanced back every so often as he exited the makeshift camp.

Kikyou gave a ladylike snort as she thought about the hanyou's actions; he was like a wolf who was unwilling to leave his cub behind with a female he didn't trust (she also thought that InuYasha _would NOT _appreciate the analogy). His overprotective attitude toward Kagome, however...it was enough to make Kikyou feel a small flame of jealousy flare up in the fragment of Kagome's soul that she possessed. After all, after her second 'death' at Mt. Hakurei, once InuYasha had discovered she was alive and 'well,' he didn't come after her. Then again, she reasoned grimly, Kagome had grown much closer to InuYasha than she had managed to, not to mention the fact that she spent a hell of a lot more time with him-at least, she _had, _before the whole Mujōna incident.

_'The strength of their bond is both a blessing and a curse,' _Kikyou thought, staring at Kagome, her eyes unreadable in the light of the flames. _'A blessing because they take strength from each other...and a curse because not only can they not hurt each other, they can't function if the other is removed from their life. It is those weaknesses that Naraku relies upon now...InuYasha is weaker when Kagome works against him.'_

Kikyou's eyes narrowed as she studied Kagome's prone form. _'But would Naraku take total advantage of that weakness, knowing that there was a chance something could go wrong? I wonder...'_

Kikyou's thoughts trailed off, leading to her staring up at the stars, lost in contemplation. She didn't notice when InuYasha got back to the clearing, a few fish slung over his shoulder and a bamboo tube ('borrowed' from Sango) dangling from his left hand.

"Is Kagome still all right?" InuYasha asked urgently.

"I think so. Her aura hasn't faded yet," Kikyou told him. "But she's very weak."

InuYasha growled, but moved over to Kagome, his eyes alight with anxiety. Moving quickly, he made spits for the fish so that they were roasting while he tended to the dehydrated miko. InuYasha looked down at Kagome, his face frustrated as he tried to figure out what to do first.

"Just start giving her the water. Trust me, you need to replace the lost fluids now, while there's still time to save her," Kikyou stated, an air of professionalism creeping into her tone. InuYasha shot a grateful glance toward her before putting a hand behind Kagome's head and tilting it forward, placing the opening of the bamboo tube at her lips. Carefully, he started pouring the water into the miko's mouth.

Kagome coughed and retched, the water bubbling back out of her mouth. Her eyes flickered, then opened slowly, revealing tired brown irises. She blinked slowly, brow furrowing as InuYasha's face came into focus.

"Inu...Yasha?" she asked, confused. "What...what are you doing here? Am I dreaming?" Her voice was a hoarse croak, dry from the lack of water.

"That ain't important right now baka, just drink," he said, sounding both annoyed and relieved. Kagome eagerly complied, nearly emptying the tube as she did so. Some of the fuzzy feeling in her head faded when the water started entering her system, as well as the weakness that had overcome her fatigued limbs.

"You okay now?" InuYasha asked when she pulled away for a breath.

"I'm a little better," Kagome said, trying to swallow what little liquid remained in her mouth with little success. She smiled timidly up at InuYasha, who smirked back at her, his eyes glowing like the fire behind them.

Then, Kagome's eyes narrowed as she saw a dark shape sitting behind the fire, something that looked rather like...

"K-Kikyou? What are you doing here?" Kagome asked, sounding slightly hurt. InuYasha's ears abruptly flattened as he glanced from one woman to the other, panic quickly becoming the dominant emotion on his face.

Kikyou looked at Kagome for a long while, making Kagome squirm uneasily. Then, she spoke. "InuYasha asked me to replace you while you were possessed by Mujōna."

Kagome blinked as first shock, then hurt, then resignation crossing her face in quick succession. InuYasha's ears stood up indignantly as the panic on his face was replaced by anger. "Wh-wh-what the fuck?" he yelled. "_You _asked _me, _not the _other way around!_"

Kikyou didn't so much as blink; she knew the damage was already done. Kagome had turned her face away from InuYasha's, her eyes glimmering with tears as her hallucination came back to her in haunting detail: _"Who's to say that he hasn't chosen me already, isn't right now dreaming of me?" _

"Well...that's fine, then," Kagome said, trying to inject some cheerfulness into her voice. "That's fine. I don't really care either way."

InuYasha swallowed slightly; he knew that when Kagome's voice went into 'false cheerful' mode, there was a world of hurt in for him if he so much as put one toe into the roped-off area that marked the sore-spots of Kagome's heart. However, he rationalized, hackles rising slightly, he _had _just been falsely accused of _replacing Kagome, _something he could _never _do. But how to broach the subject without getting himself an 'osuwari?'

"I think the fish is ready," Kikyou interrupted just as InuYasha was taking a breath to speak. As she spoke, Kagome pushed away from him and went to sit by herself. Moment lost, InuYasha's teeth ground together so hard that it hurt his jaw as he violently snatched the fish out of the fire, flinging one in Kagome's general direction as his own fangs tore into the still-hot flesh of the roasted fish.

Kagome barely nibbled at her fish; she was hungry, but she knew better than to eat too much too soon. It would most likely overtax her stomach and make her not only lose the fish, but the water, too. Not only that, but the painful throbs of jealousy were pounding in her stomach.

_'He replaced me...he really replaced me,' _she thought dully. _'Just because he thought I died, or was it even earlier?...oh, who am I kidding, I never had a hold on his heart in the first place.'_

Kagome glanced over at InuYasha, her eyes sad. The hanyou seemed more on edge than usual, demolishing his first fish in record time and working hard on the second as she watched him. His eyes were full of rage (no surprise there) but she caught a glimpse of what looked like heartbreak. Heartbreak? If InuYasha loved Kikyou more than he loved her, then what would he have to be heartbroken over?

InuYasha noticed her staring at him. He broke off gnawing on a tough fish-bone to meet her gaze, the anger fading rapidly from his eyes. Kagome blinked, unnerved by the unusual intensity of the hanyou's striking golden eyes. A blush crossed her cheeks as she fumbled in the grass for the fish she thought she had placed down beside her, only to realize that it was in her lap. Blushing even more furiously, Kagome broke the stare and turned to the fire, her heart pounding. _'...still love him,' _she thought, brushing her hair back with her fingers without doing something stupid like get it all tangled or set it on fire.

"Kagome-" InuYasha started, then, surprisingly, Kikyou spoke up again.

"InuYasha, one tube-full of water is not going to be enough to keep Kagome hydrated," she told him. "Do you think you could fetch some more?"

Moment stolen again, InuYasha glared daggers at Kikyou as he snatched up the bamboo tube and stalked out of the camp, his shoulders stiff.

"What was that all about?" Kagome asked, confused now.

Kikyou sighed. She got up and moved so that she was sitting next to Kagome. Apart from a small shiver, Kagome didn't react much (she hoped). "I'm sorry for being so rude, but it was necessary to make InuYasha leave again as soon as you were conscious. It wasn't exactly a lie, anyway; you _do _need plenty of water."

Kagome's brow furrowed as she glanced suspiciously at Kikyou. "What...what do you want?"

Kikyou laughed once without humor. "I want to talk to you, of course."

* * *

><p>InuYasha might not have been the brightest star in the sky, but he wasn't completely stupid, either. While he knew that Kagome <em>did <em>need water and he _did _only have the one tube, he also recognized a clear dismissal when he heard it, having gotten them one time too many from Kagome.

So, InuYasha ran a good distance away from the clearing, then slowly sneaked back, carefully making sure to keep a good distance away from the clearing. If he got too close, Kikyou could sense his aura and he would be doomed. Luckily, his youkai heritage had blessed him with supranormal hearing, thanks to the two white dog-ears that perched atop his head. When he could hear the women talking, InuYasha stopped moving toward the camp and crouched down by a tree, heart pounding in his throat.

"You _just _want to talk to me?" Kagome asked, her voice suspicious. InuYasha's ears strained toward the sound, eager not to miss a single word.

"Don't worry, I am not here to kill you," Kikyou said in a reassuring sort of tone.

"Then...what do you want to hear?" Kagome asked. InuYasha thought she sounded reluctant.

"I want to talk to you about the youkai known as Mujōna. Do you remember anything about her?"

There was a pause, the wind whispering through the trees during the silence. InuYasha growled at it, silently hoping that the elements wouldn't conspire against him and drown out the conversation taking place a good few yards away.

"Oh, yes, I remember Mujōna," Kagome said, and InuYasha recoiled at the sound of both horror, anger and revulsion in Kagome's voice. "I remember what Naraku did to me..." The hanyou growled, his claws sinking into the bracken-covered ground as he fought to control a wave of anger that washed over him.

"What?" Kikyou pressed. There was another pause.

"Naraku...told me that after thinking about it for a long time, he could use me as a sort of...shield against InuYasha. He created Mujōna for that purpose. Mujōna's true form is a sort of...sort of..._eel _youkai, except she doesn't have scales, eyes, nose or a mouth. But she's slimy and her body feels so _cold..._" InuYasha heard Kagome draw a deep breath, and fervently wished that he was sitting beside her, offering her his protection from her memories. "It...she...she slithered up my arm...and entered my _body. _It was the _worst; _not just an invasion of the body, but an invasion of the _mind, _as well. I wish I didn't remember it."

InuYasha growled again, feeling his hate for Naraku redouble and grow stronger. Oooh, the _things _he would do to the dark hanyou when he finally caught up with him...

"So, Mujōna is _truly _in your head? She's not just a voice?" Kikyou asked.

"No. She is really and truly in my head," Kagome replied.

"Is she...awake right now?"

"No. I think the fight against Sesshoumaru and the way we got washed down the river tired her out." Kagome sighed, but this was a good (or at least, _better_) sigh. "It's nice to have control of my own actions and no voice save for my own in my head."

"I think I can imagine," Kikyou said with a soft laugh. Then, the mood became more serious again. "However, there is one thing I do not understand; how can you be a shield for Naraku when you can easily be bypassed? Would it not be far too easy for InuYasha or one of his group to simply overpower you while they finish out Naraku?"

InuYasha privately agreed, not that _he _would ever feel comfortable overpowering Kagome. But Kikyou's argument _did _make sense.

The silence this time was more ominous this time, laden with more hidden meanings than InuYasha could decipher. Then, Kagome spoke, her voice quiet and eerily calm. "You've guessed, haven't you." A statement, not a question.

"Yes, I have," Kikyou admitted.

_'Guessed what, for fuck's sake?' _InuYasha thought, irritated.

Kagome gave a short, humorless bark of laughter. "Yes, Naraku _really _outdid himself this time. Mujōna's true purpose extends _far _beyond just sealing my powers and turning me against InuYasha, not that _that _wouldn't hurt me and him enough. But that damn spider just _had _to go for the ultimate diss..."

"Which was?" Kikyou prompted again.

"You know, don't you, Kikyou?" Kagome asked, her voice sad. "You know that Mujōna is Naraku's heart."


	26. My Love, My Promise

Chaos.

No amount of training in Nippon, or indeed the entire _world _could have prepared the inu-hanyou for the feeling that ripped through him when the dreaded words had left Kagome's lips.

_"Muj__ōna__ is Naraku's heart."_

It was the ultimate taunt. In putting his heart inside Kagome, Naraku was practically flaunting his weakness in front of them. InuYasha could hear the sadistic spider-hanyou's words echoing in his brain, the phantom shadow of his face etched forever into his thoughts:

_"Look, InuYasha. Here is my heart, right inside of Kagome. You've always wanted to destroy me, haven't you? Well, here's your chance. Kill Kagome, and I too shall die. But then what will you have? What will be left to you after Kagome is dead by your hand? Then again, if you __**don't **__kill her, you will be protecting me, InuYasha. So, what will you choose? To kill Kagome and myself, or to protect her and Muj__ōna__, and by extension protect myself as well?"_

InuYasha's fangs flashed in a pain-filled growl as his claws tore deep furrows into the bark of the tree beside him. _'It can't be...no, I won't believe it! I CAN'T believe it! Kagome...Kagome, how could I have let this happen to you?' _he lamented, the growl shifting into an eerie whine as his ears pressed flat against his head. But then the women started talking again, so he quickly started listening again, his stomach churning like never before. How could it get any worse than this?

"So, I was right about Mujōna," Kikyou said, a sigh barely detectable in her voice. "How did you find out?"

"Before they attacked the second village, Kyūna-shi asked Mujōna why she was so important to Naraku, and she told him," Kagome stated dully.

"You were conscious at the time?" Kikyou asked.

Kagome laughed dully. "I've _always _been conscious during Mujōna's ruling time. What better torture for me than to watch myself do such terrible things...?" Kagome trailed off, and InuYasha heard her give a small sob. He whined in response, a hot dampness entering his eyes as his head drooped. How had it come to this?

"It hurts you." It was a statement, not a question.

"How could it _not _hurt me, Kikyou? I'm not a monster like Naraku or Mujōna. I could never call myself a killer...at least, not before _now._" Kagome broke off again, and InuYasha felt another whine tear itself out of his throat. Anger rippled through him, quickly quelled by sorrow. There was no plan to kill Naraku anymore, not since his death would have to be preceded by _hers._

"But...but watching myself _slaughter _ordinary people, burning their homes and...so many other horrible things...I can't bear it anymore!" Kagome's voice raised until she was wailing, then she dissolved into sobs, the choking sounds echoing mournfully through the forest. The hanyou hung his head, unwilling to let the few drops escaping his eyes be seen by anyone, not that there _was _anyone nearby. But there was no denying the fact that for the second time in so many days, he was crying.

"I'm sorry," Kikyou murmured. "I know it is hard for you. But tell me-do you know what must happen now?"

Kagome sniffled, and InuYasha wondered if she was going to nod or say yes out loud. She must have nodded, for Kikyou said, "Then you have accepted what most cannot."

"Yes." Kagome's voice had cleared up somewhat. "But...but I don't want to be alone..."

"No-one does." Kikyou's voice sounded sympathetic. "I certainly didn't."

There was a pause, during which InuYasha fervently scrubbed his face with the rough sleeve of his haori, trying hard to clear the remaining tears from his face. What was going to happen _now, _he wondered. And what did she mean, not wanting to be alone?

"Kikyou?" Kagome's voice was hesitant, slightly scared.

"Yes?"

"Does InuYasha know?" At the sound of his name, the inu-hanyou started forward a pace before catching himself and retreating.

"No. When I told the houshi, youkai-taijiya and kitsune back in the shrine, I made them swear not to tell him. It would only break his heart." Kikyou's words made InuYasha growl, his hackles rising as the tree once again bore the brunt of his claws. So, she'd told something to the others and made them promise not to tell him, had she? What was so bad, anyway? What could break his heart more than it already had been broken?

"So, they know...that...that..." It sounded like the words were stuck in Kagome's throat.

"Yes...they know that the only thing that can free you from Mujōna...is death."

The words echoed endlessly around and around the forest, as ominous as a vulture's cry and as smothering as smoke. The breath seemed to halt in the hanyou's lungs as cold swept over his entire body, permeating his very soul.

Kagome's only choice...was _death?_

No-NO! He wouldn't let that happen-_he couldn't! _InuYasha would rather die _himself _than let Kagome die. He didn't care that Naraku's heart was resting inside her, he didn't care that Mujōna was a monster who deserved death; all he cared about was preserving Kagome's life, Kagome who _did _deserve life, who _wasn't _a monster.

InuYasha fought a scream of rage and heartbreak that threatened to tear out of his throat as his claws turned to the scored tree beside him. Bits of wood pulp and bark shot in all directions as his claws tore endlessly at the tree's trunk, trying hard to alleviate the heartache that wouldn't go away, no matter what he did.

Why did the Kami hate him so much? Why was it that whenever he had a shot at happiness, they had to whip it out from under his nose, making sure to make it as painful as possible as they did so? _Why couldn't he be happy too?_

While he tore at the tree, the conversation continued still, each word registering dimly in his head.

"Yes...death is my only option. And honestly...I don't think I _want _to live anymore...not after what I've done. I've...I've _killed _people; maybe it was Mujōna's intent to murder, but _my hands _are the ones stained with blood. And besides, if killing me kills Naraku, what is my life worth?" Kagome's voice was unusally calm, yet the words still managed to tear the poor hanyou's heart to shreds, mirroring the tree's shredded interior.

"I do wish it had not come to this," Kikyou sighed. "I truly wish it hadn't. _You _changed InuYasha so much, made him so much better than he was before." Kikyou paused for a few seconds before she continued in a tone that had just a touch of jealousy in it. "You know, when InuYasha thought you had died when you went over the waterfall, he nearly shut down. It was like talking to a doll; he didn't respond, no matter what was said. If you die for real, who knows what will happen."

Kagome was quiet for a few minutes. InuYasha finally managed to get himself in check, leaving the poor tree to ooze sap onto the ground from its many wounds. He dropped down on the ground, his fists resting between his knees, his body twitchy and bouncy.

"Is that so?" she finally asked. "I...Kami, I never realized."

"He does love you, in his own way," Kikyou told her.

Kagome laughed sadly. "Not as much as he loves you." InuYasha growled slightly at that.

"I'm sure we could contest that fact for hours, but I don't think that's the most pressing topic that we need to discuss." Kikyou paused for a minute before continuing. "I can see that something is troubling you. What is it?"

"Well..." Kagome exhaled, and InuYasha imagined the look on her face; her brow furrowed, her lips pursed and her eyes narrowed, like it was when she was looking at that math stuff she sometimes had to do. "I...I was going to ask you something."

Kikyou was silent for a brief second before she replied in a voice that was completely without inflection. "...You want me to kill you."

InuYasha stiffened, his eyes opening to their fullest extent as his pupils contracted so much that his golden irises seemed to have swallowed them whole. _'What...WHAT THE HELL?'_

"...You _did _want to kill me, once," Kagome said, a little shamefully. "Also, you're one of the few people fighting Naraku who has no emotional attatchment to me. Not like my friends, or InuYasha, or Kouga-kun. Sesshoumaru already tried to kill me, but I guess he's getting a little soft, too, since he really only pushed me into the river."

"That's true," Kikyou agreed. "But are you sure you want to trust me with this job?"

Kagome's voice became much quieter when she answered, "I thought about it for a while...ever since I found out about Mujōna being Naraku's heart. If you kill me, then our soul will join with the one piece remaining in this world, won't it? You can truly be with InuYasha again...maybe as a _living _person, and not as one of the dead."

"...Not only do you surrender all ties to life, you would surrender InuYasha to me?" Kikyou sounded surprised. InuYasha felt a growl start up in his throat again. He couldn't take much more of this...

Kagome sniffed again, and the wind carried the salty scent of her tears over to the hanyou, who gave a growl/whine in response. "...What hold did I ever have on InuYasha, Kikyou? If he could leave me so easily time and time again...that's not a hold, Kikyou. I was his obligation, his jewel-detector. Worthless except for that."

At that, the hanyou's fragile hold on his brokenhearted temper snapped. With a roar that sounded more like a scream of pain, InuYasha launched himself forward, using his hands to propel himself faster, the turbulence from his great speed smacking him in the face and making his eyes sting.

He burst into the clearing, startling both women as he did so. They turned to him, taking in the tear-tracks on his face and the wild look in his eyes. Wasting no time, InuYasha swept forward and planted himself in front of Kagome, growling and whining at the same time, his glare fixed on Kikyou.

"I won't let you..." he snarled. "I'll _NEVER _let you kill her!"

Kikyou looked at him, her eyes sad. "So...you were listening this whole time, were you?"

"Yes, for fuck's sake!" InuYasha barked, ears flat against his scalp. "I _was _listening, and I'm _glad I fuckin' was!_ How...how _could _you even _think _of killing Kagome?"

Kikyou blinked slowly at him, her face in her perfect stoic mask mode. "Were you _actually _listening, InuYasha? Don't you kn-"

"Yes, I fucking know that Mujōna is Naraku's heart!" InuYasha snapped. "But I also know that _I don't want Kagome to fuckin' die! _I won't go through that shit again, Kikyou! NOT IF I CAN HELP IT!" InuYasha swept his arms out and gathered Kagome against his back, protecting her with all that he had.

"You would protect Naraku's heart, InuYasha?" Kikyou asked, her voice both sad and mocking.

"If it means that Kagome stays alive, then _yes," _he snarled back. "I don't care how long it takes, but we _haveta _find a way to get Mujōna out of Kagome's head! I WILL NOT let Kagome die just for the sake of killing Naraku!"

Before Kikyou could answer, InuYasha felt Kagome's small hands clench his haori as she rested her cheek in the middle of his back. His heart jumped in his throat as his breathing hitched.

"Please, InuYasha," Kagome whispered, her voice small, weak and dejected. "Please let me have this one request. Please just let me die."

InuYasha growled, turning his head so he could meet Kagome's sorrowful brown eyes. "No," he snarled. "_I will not._"

Kagome buried her face in his haori, her hot tears dropping onto the rough red fabric. "Please, InuYasha...I've done so many terrible things..."

InuYasha whirled around, nearly knocking Kagome off her feet as he did so. Before she could fall over, however, he caught her and crushed her to his chest, wrapping his arms tightly around her and burying his face in her hair.

"It's not _you _that has the blood on her hands, it's that fuckin' Mujōna! _You _didn't kill all those people, _you _weren't the one who desired their deaths!" One of InuYasha's clawed hands moved from Kagome's waist, skimming gently over her body until it tangled in her hair, stroking it with a gentility that was foreign to Kagome. "I don't want you to die for somebody else's crimes, Kagome," he told her thickly. "Fuckin' hell, I don't want you to _die._"

"But...you want to defeat Naraku, don't you?" Kagome asked. "Just cut your losses and-"

"Who gives a shit about Naraku!" he snapped. "I've already said if it means that you die, I won't do it! I don't care about that anymore!" His voice cracked at the end of his sentence, and Kagome felt something hot and wet drip down into her hair. "I won't let you die, no matter what," he moaned softly.

"Inu...you're going to make me cry," Kagome sniffled, her own tears pricking her eyes again.

"You're already crying, baka," he retorted, snorting halfheartedly. Kagome tried to laugh, but it sounded more like she was choking, so she quickly stopped.

"Even if I die, you'll still have Kikyou," she managed to say. Her throat was starting to feel thick, and it was almost impossible for words to move through it. "You won't be alone."

"Dammit, stop talking like that, wench! I'm already upset enough as it is!" InuYasha snapped, his arms tightening about Kagome's small body. "Kagome, my time with Kikyou was over fifty years ago when we killed each other." As he spoke, InuYasha's golden gaze moved to the woman in question, who was watching them with an overly neutral expression. "We've just been kidding ourselves these past few years," he stated, his voice flat. "Neither of us can go back to the way things used to be. We've changed since then."

Kikyou nodded slightly and turned away, hiding her face from view.

"But...you love her..." Kagome whispered, burying her face even deeper into his haori so he wouldn't see her tears.

"I _used _to love her, baka. I got over her a long time ago," he said dully. "It's _you _that I-"

"Please don't say it," Kagome moaned, lifting her face from his chest and looking at him with brown eyes full of pain. "_Please _don't say it."

"Why the fuck not?" InuYasha growled, eyes narrowing. "I _know _ya love me, so why shouldn't I-"

"_Please, _InuYasha! It's hard enough admitting that I have to die without having something like this come up!" Kagome cried, shaking InuYasha slightly as she did so. "How can I sacrifice myself if you say it _now?_"

"Enough of this," InuYasha declared. "I'm tired of all this fuckin' shit."

"What do you-"

Kagome was unexpectedly cut off when the hanyou jerked his head down and rammed his lips against hers, swallowing her next words quite effectively. Kagome's eyes widened as she belatedly realized that he was _kissing _her.

It was most definitely _not_ like the mouth-rape that Mujōna had forced upon InuYasha in the first village she and Kyūna-shi had pillaged; soft, gentle, with no promise save for the promise to protect that InuYasha had given Kagome long before. Kagome felt her tears return full force as she closed her eyes and kissed back, her heart throbbing painfully in her chest.

_'It's not wrong to take just one thing with me to the afterlife, isn't it?' _she asked herself silently. _'I can have just one kiss, can't I?'_

It ended far too soon for Kagome's liking as the hanyou pulled away and buried his face in her hair again. She whimpered softly against his chest, letting her tears fall and make dark stains on his red haori.

"I love you," he moaned softly, and she felt his tears start to drip down her hair again. "I can't sacrifice you, and I won't let you die. I don't think you're useless _or _worthless."

Kagome's lips started trembling as her tears began to gush forth. A lifetime ago, when Mujōna wasn't even a shadow on the horizon and the worst of Naraku's hatred was contained within himself, Kagome had happily fantasized about the day when InuYasha, the man she'd loved from a distance for so long, would finally confess his love to her. Now, however, it was like a nightmare now; how could she return his love when she had done so many horrible things, when her death loomed inevitably on the horizon, when Naraku's heart rested inside her brain?

_'Why...why did he have to say it now...when the end is so close?' _Kagome thought as the first sob tore through her body, ripping out of her throat in a half-choked wail as the others swiftly followed. _'Why now...when I'm out of time?'_

InuYasha sensed what Kagome was thinking and pulled her closer, hating Naraku more and more as each sob escaped her. How _dare _he ruin what should have been a happy moment, how _dare _he try to turn them against each other, how _dare _he hide his heart in her!

_'I swear on my Tetsusaiga,' _the hanyou vowed, his eyes narrowing and fangs grinding together, _'I swear that I will find a way to kill you that won't sacrifice her, Naraku! You just wait, bastard...you just wait...'_

"It'll be okay, Kagome," InuYasha murmured, stroking the miko's hair. "I promise I'll make it okay again."


	27. Hope Returns: Nomi Youkai's Wisdom

The pathetic worm youkai screeched and squirmed as it was slowly crushed to death beneath Kyūna-shi's vicious foot-paw. The giant youkai was drunk on the power of the shikon-no-kakera that Naraku had bestowed upon him, and was now walking all across Nippon, bragging about how no human or youkai in the land would be able to touch him. So far, no-one _had_ been able to. Kyūna-shi's eyes blazed brighter and brighter as his murder spree ran higher and higher.

His only regret was that Mujōna was not here to see his reign of terror. The ōkami-youkai knew that the youkai/miko loved scenes of devastation and destruction, and it was sad that she wasn't there to see _any _of them.

He knew she was alive; after all, if Mujōna had died, Naraku would be dead, too, what with her being his heart and all. He just didn't know where she _was. _If Mujōna needed him, Kyūna-shi usually heard her voice whisper in the back of his head and felt the strange tugs of her mind on his, pulling him toward her like iron filings toward a magnet. But that pull was gone, and so were the whispers.

_**'What could have happened to her?' **_Kyūna-shi wondered as he lunched on the fallen youkai's carcass. _**'She can't be dead, because Naraku-sama is still alive. Does that mean she's too weak to take over that woman anymore?' **_The giant youkai looked up at the dark sky that always accompanied him wherever he went, eyes distant as he gnawed on a particularly hard tail-bone. _**'Forgive me, Muj**__**ōna**__**...if I had protected you, as Naraku-sama had instructed of me, then this would not have happened.' **_The ōkami-youkai's teeth ground together in a snarl as his fist crushed the rest of his meal into a bloody pulp, the youkai's juices trailing over his clenched fingers and dripping onto the grassy ground beneath him.

_**'I will rectify my mistake,' **_he vowed. _**'I will find you, Muj**__**ōna**__**...and I will kill whoever stands in my path to you!'**_

* * *

><p>After the argument cum make-out session that had followed after Kagome and Kikyou's short discussion, the rest of the night passed relatively quietly. Kagome slept peacefully near the fire, using the grass as a mattress and InuYasha's haori (which he had lent her) as a blanket. The aforementioned hanyou was sitting next to her, Tetsusaiga tucked into the crook of his right elbow as he kept watch for any youkai that might try to attack the clearing.<p>

His golden eyes glanced over to the furthest edge of the clearing, where Kikyou was standing. The undead miko's shinidamachuu surrounded her, giving her an ethereal white glow that enhanced the vibe of other-worldliness that the miko already emitted.

"Kikyou, why are you still here?" InuYasha asked, a little tiredly. "You already know that I've chosen Kagome, why hang around?"

Kikyou turned to look at him, her eyes distant and sad. "Maybe our time has passed, InuYasha, but I cannot rest in peace so long as Naraku still draws breath."

InuYasha tensed slightly, his eyes becoming suspicious. "You're...you're not still thinking about what Kagome asked you, are you?"

The shinidamachuu finished replenishing Kikyou's dead soul supply and flew away as silently as they had come, leaving their mistress to stand in the clearing. Kikyou's flat brown eyes were guarded as she replied. "I had already vowed to defeat Naraku...no matter what the price. If you cannot kill her, I most certainly can, if it comes to that."

InuYasha growled, swiftly moving so his body shielded that of Kagome's. "I already said; I don't _care _if it kills Naraku-any plan that rides on Kagome's death is a plan I will _never _be behind."

"Even if that's what she desires?" Kikyou asked, one brow arching upwards.

"Even if that's what she desires," InuYasha growled, flinching slightly.

Kagome gave a small groan as she rolled over beneath the hanyou, who quickly moved away from her before his never quiet voice could wake her up. "Kikyou, when you were alive, you used to _save _people. Even if death was the only option, you'd spend Kami knows how many hours trying to find a solution." InuYasha looked at the pale form of his old love, his eyes filled with that timeless sadness once more. "Why don't you do that anymore? Why can't you try to _save _anyone?"

Kikyou gave a small, mirthless laugh. "I died, InuYasha. That's why I don't save anyone anymore. My reward for trying to save every life that was thrown in front of me was death; that was enough to remove most of the false light from my heart."

InuYasha blinked slowly, regarding the form of the miko who had once been Kikyou. How she had degenerated into this, he had no idea. When had this happened, and why hadn't he noticed it sooner? "Kikyou, I know you want to defeat Naraku, but I really think you need to leave," he told her, his voice becoming angry. "If you want to try and kill Kagome, go ahead, but know that I _will _put the past _and _my vow aside to stop you."

Kikyou sighed before turning away. "Very well, InuYasha. I'll give you a week to try and find a cure for Kagome's..._condition. _If, however, after one week Naraku is not removed from this Earth and Mujōna still resides in Kagome's body, then I _will _take the necessary step to rid this land of Naraku." With that, the miko summoned her shinidamachuu once more, letting them wrap about her body so she could fly away from the clearing that held her one-time love and her reincarnation. "Remember, InuYasha!" she called down to him. "_One week!_"

"Yeah, I'll fuckin' remember," InuYasha growled under his breath. He moved back to his original position at Kagome's side and let out a long, slow breath. This was the first time he'd really relaxed in quite a while. The hanyou always felt very tense when he was around Kikyou, like she might up and drag him to Hell if he so much as blinked in front of her.

It was sad, really, that the love they had once shared had been so badly tainted by Naraku. But, looking back, InuYasha wasn't really sure that they had been the ones for each other after all. Kikyou had asked him to change into a human so they could be together, which, at the time, he had been willing to do. However, after spending time with Kagome, he had learned that love, _true _love, didn't require you to change yourself. Maybe he and Kikyou had shared something special fifty years ago in the village by the Goshinboku. Now, however, InuYasha had moved on past the heartbreak and the betrayal-and past Kikyou's unchanging form.

_'Now,' _he thought, switching tracks, _'What'll I do about Kagome?'_

InuYasha's fangs ground together as his mind whirled about trying to figure out how to kill Mujōna-and Naraku-without harming Kagome. However, he pulled up a blank, resulting in the hanyou becoming increasingly more and more frustrated. Thinking and planning had never really been his strong point, after all-he just preferred to use his instincts and nose to get the job done.

_'Dammit!' _he cursed, thumping himself on the head for good measure. _'What can I do in a fuckin' week? That ain't enough time for me! But if I __**don't **__think of something in a week, Kagome will-'_

A sharp pain on his neck broke into InuYasha's train of thought. "Ow! What the fuckin' hell?" InuYasha grumbled, moving his silvery mane off his neck so he could expose the flesh located there. A familiar aged nomi-youkai was latched onto his neck, sucking happily on the inu-hanyou's blood. He pulled away with a small sigh.

"Ah, InuYasha-sama, I haven't tasted your delicious blood in such a long time," Myouga said happily, looking up at his master with bliss written across his face.

_SMACK. _

The nomi-youkai drifted down to InuYasha's extended palm, whimpering slightly all the way down.

"Myouga, what the fuck are you doing here?" InuYasha growled, ears flattened.

"Is that any way to speak to your faithful servant?" Myouga cried, his body regaining its mass with a small _pop. _His buggy eyes filled with tears as he looked up into InuYasha's face. "I have served your family for many centuries now, and _this _is how you treat me?"

"Stuff it, Myouga, an' tell me why you're here!" InuYasha snapped. Honestly, sometimes his 'retainer' was more trouble than he was worth.

Myouga abruptly stopped crying and sat with his legs and arms (all four of them) crossed. "I sensed that you needed me, InuYasha-sama. I came to you with the swiftest of speeds, I assure you."

"Yeah, I'm _sure _you did," InuYasha sneered sarcastically. "An' what makes you think I need yo-" InuYasha abruptly cut himself off as his train of thought finally arrived at an idea.

Myouga sniffed slightly as he mopped his small face with an even smaller kerchief. "InuYasha-sama, your idiocy does shame me so. What would your father say if he could see you, I wonder?"

"Shut up!" InuYasha snapped. "Anyway, I _do _need to ask you something."

"What would that be, master?" Myouga asked.

"Well..." InuYasha trailed off, unsure of how to phrase his question.

"While you're thinking, I'll just help myself to a little snack," Myouga declared, hopping off InuYasha's palm and onto Kagome's exposed cheek. The nomi-youkai sunk his proboscis deep into the miko's cheek, sucking hungrily at her blood.

"Hey, stop that!" InuYasha cried as Kagome stirred. However, before either of them could react, Myouga jumped away, spewing out a small stream of red blood as he did so.

"Ick! Your lady's blood tastes _horrible, _InuYasha-sama! Not at all like I remember it!" Myouga cried, wiping his four tiny hands across his straw-like mouth-parts and spitting out little drops of saliva and blood as he did so. "What _has _happened to her, to make her blood so inedible?"

Kagome blinked slowly, first at Myouga, then at InuYasha. "Whuzgoinon?" she asked sleepily. "Whyz Myouga-jichan 'ere?"

"It's nothin', Kagome," InuYasha told her, his face softening. "Go back to sleep."

Kagome debated for a few seconds before muttering, "'Kay," and promptly going back to sleep.

"Kagome's possessed by a youkai named Mujōna," InuYasha told Myouga, who had hopped back onto the hanyou's proffered index finger. "I..._guess_ that's why her blood tastes bad, but mostly it's blocking her miko powers and making her do..._awful _things." InuYasha shuddered before continuing. "I was wondering if there was _any _way to get that youkai out of her body, apart from killing her and the youkai together."

"Hmmm...a vexing problem indeed," Myouga muttered, glancing over to Kagome and back to InuYasha. "And she can't just purify this youkai Mujōna?"

"No, I _told _you, it's sealing her powers," InuYasha growled, a little annoyed.

"Hmmm..." Myouga trailed off in thought. With each minute that the nomi-youkai did not speak was a minute in which InuYasha's annoyance mounted. Just when InuYasha was about to squish his retainer flat (and serve him right, too) Myouga spoke.

"I _have _heard of a...a houshi of sorts, who lives in the regions of the south. He's supposed to specialize in unusual and often difficult exorcisms involving human possession. Maybe you could try him," Myouga said carefully, glancing up to his master's face to make sure that the information was satisfactory.

InuYasha's ears stood up straight as the faint light of hope entered his heart for the first time since he had started the search for Kagome nearly a month and a half ago. "Do you know what he's called?" he asked eagerly.

"I haven't heard _that _much," Myouga admitted, causing InuYasha's ears to droop slightly.

_'Damn flea,' _he cursed silently. "One more thing-could I reach the place where this houshi is in a week or less?"

Myouga blinked up at InuYasha. "Are you really in such a hurry, InuYasha-sama?"

Unfortunately, it was the wrong response for Myouga to make. InuYasha started shaking the nomi-youkai about, pinching him between his index finger and thumb. "Yes, I am in a Kami-be-damned fucking hurry!" he snarled. "Now fucking answer me before I squish ya!"

"Okay, okay, just spare this old flea, master!" Myouga squealed as his head became a small tan blur. InuYasha flung his retainer away from him disgustedly, scowling darkly. Myouga landed on a blade of grass, clutching it with all four limbs.

"If you hurry and the elements are on your side...yes, I think you can make it to the land where the houshi is supposed to be in a week or less," Myouga told him. "By the way, south is _that _way, master." Myouga pointed in front of him as he spoke. Shortly thereafter, InuYasha's foot stomped down hard upon the flea's hapless form.

"I _know _which way south is, bastard," InuYasha growled, grinding the nomi-youkai into the dirt with his heel for good measure. Then, he turned in the direction Myouga had pointed, a soft breeze caressing his mane as he did so.

_'South...' _he thought, his eyes sparkling. Maybe it was a false lead, and maybe it was legitimate, but whatever it was, InuYasha would seize the opportunity to save Kagome's life with both hands.

Maybe, just maybe, he could be forgiven for failing her so badly if he did so.

* * *

><p>Back in the ruined village, Sango sat facing the fire they had made in their chosen hut, her eyes unfocused. Miroku sat next to her, prodding the fire with his good hand.<p>

"Sango," he murmured to get her attention. She flinched like he had just shouted.

Miroku chuckled softly, his amethyst eyes flashing sadly. "You've been out of it all evening, dear Sango. Tell me, what are you thinking about?"

Sango sighed as her hand went out to stroke the nekomata that was sleeping beside her. "Houshi-sama, why did we let InuYasha leave with that...that woman? For all we know, we just signed the life of another one of our good friends over to the afterlife, or worse, _Naraku!_" Sango's other hand clenched into a fist as she glared into the crackling flames. "What kind of friends are we if we can't even keep one of our own from going off and dying in a stupid accident?"

Miroku looked sadly at the youkai-taijiya, his gaze wise beyond his years. "Dear Sango," he sighed, reaching out with his cursed hand and taking Sango's fist, holding it with unusual gentility. "What _could _we have done against InuYasha? It would have been far worse to _fight _him, no matter what state he was in at the time. No, it is far better to let him go peacefully and catch up later, when we're rested and ready."

Sango didn't look reassured. "Still though..."

Miroku smiled slightly as he turned back to the fire. "Then, we'll leave to retrieve him as soon as it's light out. Is that better, Sango?"

Sango deliberated for a few minutes, then nodded. Then, rather unexpectedly, she leaned against the houshi's side, her head resting on his chest.

"Arigato, houshi-sama," she whispered. Miroku's smile widened as he placed his good hand on Sango's shoulder, happy that she didn't pull away. Maybe he could go lower...?

"Touch my ass and you're doomed, houshi," Sango growled, as if she had read his mind. Miroku sighed, but did not reply.

A few seconds passed in which nothing happened; the couple just sat watching the fire, not speaking, content to sit there and enjoy each others' presence.

"Houshi-sama?" Sango finally asked.

"Hm?"

Sango's lip quivered as she turned to bury her face in Miroku's purple robes. "I...I miss Kagome-chan."

Miroku looked down at the youkai-taijiya, the smile vanishing from his face. He squeezed the taijiya's shoulder in a reassuring manner, his eyes mournful. "I miss her too, Sango. I miss her too."

* * *

><p>nomi-flea<p> 


	28. The Quest for Salvation, Part I

The sun had just peeked its golden head from behind its shield of earth when InuYasha woke up. He had slept lightly, on guard for anything that might be roving the forest. However, to his immense relief, no attack had come, allowing him to doze peacefully for the rest of the night. After her initial awakening, Kagome had slept peacefully as well, barely stirring for anything. This was a good thing, as sleep healed the hurts of the body and soul, and for Kagome, both were in plenitude.

InuYasha rose from his sitting position and did a quick inspection of the edges of the clearing to check for signs of danger. When he was satisfied that nothing would come hurt Kagome, InuYasha ran back to the river he had found that night to fetch more water and fish for breakfast. He hoped that the others would catch up quickly, since they had all the provisions.

As he worked on catching the fish, his mind wandered to more important tasks ahead: finding the houshi who could perform exorcisms on difficult to exorcise youkai. Even counting for the fact that Mujōna had been weakened, she was still Naraku's heart, and InuYasha knew from long experience that dealing with such things required nothing more or less than extreme caution-anything that Naraku spawned was _not _to be treated lightly.

_'I wish we had more to go on than a houshi who lives in the South,' _InuYasha grumbled to himself as he caught a wriggling fish bare-handed. _'It's still a chance, though...__**any **__chance to defeat Naraku and save Kagome is okay by me.'_

When he had caught the fourth fish, InuYasha left the riverbank and headed back to the camp, fish and water slung over his shoulder. His pace, which had already been rather fast, quickened over time. The hanyou was loath to leave Kagome behind in her condition, but hadn't wanted to wake her up so he could go to the river.

When he arrived at the clearing, his eyes instantly sought for Kagome's sleeping form. When, at first, he didn't see her lying where he had left her, a spike of panic sped up his breathing and heartbeat. However, upon inspection, he saw that Kagome was sitting by the fire he had renewed shortly before he had left, his haori draped about her shoulders. She looked up when she heard him sigh.

"Good morning, InuYasha," she greeted him as he sat down next to her, tossing the bamboo tube onto the patch of ground in front of him. Her smile was bright, but her eyes were guarded. InuYasha glanced at her, and thought he knew what she was thinking about.

"If you're wondering about Kikyou," he grumbled, "I sent her away last night."

Kagome's smile vanished completely, replaced by a pained sort of confusion. "You...sent her away? But why would you do that?"

"I managed to convince her to give you some leeway, at least for a while," InuYasha continued, ignoring Kagome's questions. "We have about a week to figure out how to exorcise Mujōna from your body without killing you."

Kagome's eyes went bleak as she turned to stare at the fire. "What's the point, InuYasha? I've already accepted my fate, why not just-" The miko gave a small 'eep!' as InuYasha turned from the fish had been putting on stakes and setting to roast, put his hands on her shoulders and rammed his face against hers, his golden eyes blazing furiously into her nonplussed brown ones.

"Don't you go talking like that again!" he snapped, anger mixing with heartache in his voice. "I _told _you, I will _never _let you die, not if I can help it!"

"But Kikyou told you-" Kagome started.

"I don't care if the fuckin' _Kami _come down from the sky and tell me to let you die! _I won't do it!_" InuYasha yowled, pulling her close to his chest, despite her shocked resistance. "When I realized you had gone over the waterfall, Kagome, I _lost _it! I can't go through something like that _again!_"

Kagome started trembling as her eyes filled with tears again. Had she ever heard InuYasha sound this heartbroken before? She couldn't think of _any _instance where the hanyou's voice had been so sad, not even the occasions when Kikyou had 'died.' Had Kagome's own 'death' depressed him that much? But still...

"Where would we even start, InuYasha?" Kagome asked dejectedly, trying to pull away from the hanyou. "_How _would we fix this?"

InuYasha stopped her retreat by tightening his arms about her body, letting one of his hands rise to tangle in her hair. "Not a problem...I think. Myouga-jijii took care of that."

Kagome looked up at InuYasha, her face curious. "Is _that _what Myouga-ji-chan was here for?"

InuYasha nodded. "He said there was some sorta houshi down south who specialized in difficult an' unusual exorcisms. I dunno how much credit I can put into the jijii's story, but I'm not about to sit around on my ass while there could be a way to save your life out there somewhere." Hoping that Kagome would accept his alternate plan, InuYasha buried his face in her hair, sniffing contentedly at her sweet scent.

Kagome felt her heart leap into her throat, pounding a million miles a minute as she felt the hanyou snuffling around in her hair. After waking up and finding herself alone, Kagome had wondered if the hanyou's kiss and his subsequent declaration of love hadn't been just a fabrication of her fevered mind after all. Finding InuYasha's haori draped about her had alleviated some of her depression, but not by much. Now, however, she felt the tiny flame of hope rekindle in her heart, pounding along with the fierce love that had never truly been quelled by Mujōna; hidden, clouded, redirected and confused, maybe, but never quelled.

They sat there for a while, InuYasha's face buried in Kagome's hair while the latter felt her heart beat madly like it hadn't in quite a while. It was peaceful; the first peaceful moment the pair had had since that day a month and a half ago when the wheels of fate had started to grind and churn. Kagome wistfully wished that the hanyou would kiss her again, but that was probably asking a little too much of the Kami. Then, Kagome's trail of thought was broken as a rather acrid smell touched her nose, making her face scrunch up.

"Um...InuYasha?" Kagome asked, her eyes turning to the fire.

"Hmm?" The hanyou sounded almost disinterested.

"I think the fish have been on the fire for a little too long."

InuYasha's head whipped up, ears standing up straight as he scented the air. With a muttered oath, the hanyou turned back to the fire, snatching the fish from it and beating the flames out with his hands, grunting slightly as the fire licked at his palms. Kagome had seen InuYasha take much worse without so much as a scratch, so she was not too worried about the hanyou's hands. She was more concerned about the state of their breakfast.

The two fish that had been on the fire longest were inedible, burned to black charcoal in the shape of fish. Of the two remaining fish, one of them was halfway burned, while the other was only scorched around the edges. InuYasha looked at the fish with dull, angry eyes. "Fuckin' hell, only two fish?" he griped.

"It's not so bad," Kagome chided, reaching out for the half-burned fish. "At least we have some fish." However, before the miko could take the fish in question, InuYasha caught her hand.

"Why are you reaching for that one?" he asked, brows pulling together.

"Um...because I'm hungry?" Kagome replied, her own brows rising.

"Then why don't you have _this _one?" InuYasha proffered the barely burnt fish, taking the half-burned fish with his other hand.

"Because if I know anything, it's that you have a big appetite, so you need more meat than I do," Kagome retorted, reaching for the half-burned fish again. "And you seemed so upset when the other two fish were burned, I thought you'd be happier with the least burned fish."

"I ain't the one who's been starving, wench!" InuYasha snapped, hiding the half-burned fish behind his back and growling at Kagome. "_You're _the one who collapsed from starvation!"

Kagome's eyes narrowed as she made to go around the hanyou. "I don't want to make you angry, baka, I just want to eat my breakfast!"

"Too late for that," InuYasha growled. "Just take it, will you, an' stop being difficult." He shoved the cooked fish into Kagome's hand, and before she could object, tore into the flesh of the half-burned fish. Kagome huffed angrily, but began eating the other fish without complaint.

_'Huh! I've eaten worse things than half-burned fish,' _InuYasha thought with a snort. His anger faded somewhat when he thought about how Kagome had wanted him to have the better fish. Kagome often wanted him to have the best of everything, and he figured that maybe she had gotten angry because he wasn't getting the best they had to offer. _'Kagome needs it more than I do...she hasn't eaten much since Muj__ōn__a took over her mind, I think.'_

_'That InuYasha! Does he have to get angry over EVERYTHING?' _Kagome thought incredulously. _'I mean, I know I haven't really been eating well lately, but...' _Kagome's thought trailed off as a new one took its place. _'Wait a minute...oh, Kagome, you idiot, the baka's just worried about you! If our positions were switched, I'd be worried about him too!' _Kagome nibbled delicately at her fish, her shoulders slumping in slight shame. _'I...I hope I didn't insult him by being difficult.'_

They ate in silence, busy with their breakfast and their individual thoughts. All was peaceful, nothing interrupting the quiet save for the occasional sounds of swallowing and munching. InuYasha finished wolfing his fish in record time, tossing its remains into the fire and sitting back, watching Kagome eat with his bright golden eyes, making sure she ate all she could. She finished shortly thereafter, and tossed the fish's bones into the flames. For a short while, neither spoke. Then, Kagome broke the silence.

"Where are Miroku-sama, Sango-chan and Shippou-chan?" Kagome asked, looking around as if her three friends would jump out from behind the trees on either side of her. InuYasha's ears drooped as his face became ashamed. Kagome looked at him, her eyebrow raising. "Did...did you leave them behind?"

InuYasha looked at the fire. When he spoke, his voice was completely without inflection. "I wanted to track Naraku as soon as we were done burying the dead villagers, but the others wanted to stay and rest for the night. So, me and Kikyou went on ahead."

Kagome snorted softly, her eyes sparkling slightly. "Impatient as always, weren't you?" she asked.

InuYasha scowled, but looked slightly relieved by the fact that Kagome wasn't yelling at him. Reaching out, he put an arm around her shoulders and drew the miko close to his side, smirking when he heard her heart speed up its pounding beat. "I wanted vengeance for you," he said quietly. "Even if Naraku was dead, I would have found a way to give you vengeance."

Kagome shook her head as she pushed the hanyou away. "That's not what I would have wanted," she mumbled. "Above all else, InuYasha, I want you to _live._ I wouldn't rest in peace if I knew that you were out there, risking your life because of me."

InuYasha winced, not because Kagome's words were harsh, but because of the insinuation behind them-Kagome's death. He pulled her closer, reveling in the sweet scent of life that radiated from the miko's body. "Can we change the subject?" he mumbled bluntly.

Before Kagome could answer, InuYasha's ears stood up straight, his head jerking up as he studied the skyline, a soft growl starting in his throat. Quickly, he stood up, shifting Kagome around so she was behind him, facing the direction he thought the threat might be coming from. One hand went and popped Tetsusaiga out of its sheath, just in case.

"InuYasha! There you are!" Kirara descended from the sky and landed on the other side of the fire, Sango and Miroku dismounting swiftly from her back, Shippou hopping gracefully off her head and onto Miroku's shoulder.

"We've been looking _everywhere _for you," Sango panted. "How did you manage to get this far in a single night?"

Miroku, however, cut InuYasha off before he could answer to ask a question of his own. "InuYasha...where's Kikyou-sama?"

InuYasha blinked slowly at the houshi, and felt Kagome's hands tighten in his haori. "She left, bouzou."

Miroku raised his eyebrows as he slowly flexed his slowly healing arm (he and Sango both thought that today just might be the day for him to remove his sling, so he had done so prior to the flight) while eying his hanyou friend with a disapproving eye. "Are you sure it was wise to let her go? I know Kagome-sama's death hurt you badly, but Kikyou could be an asset to us right now."

InuYasha stiffened, but just as he was about to start spouting some truly nasty things at the houshi, he felt Kagome's hands untangle themselves from his haori as she moved swiftly out from behind him. She faced the trio with hands on her hips and declared, "I am not dead, and since when would you replace me with Kikyou when I died, huh?"

There was silence for a few brief moments as the houshi, taijiya, kitsune and nekomata all blinked dumbly at their very much not dead miko friend, eyes wide with disbelief. None of them were sure that they could believe it, but if InuYasha knew it was her...

Shippou was the first to react. With a wail of happiness, he launched himself off Miroku's shoulder and cannoned into Kagome's chest. With a small "Ooph!" of surprise, Kagome staggered backward, unbalanced by the kitsune's rapid charge. "Kagome, KAGOME!" he cried, his tiny hands fisting in her worn and ragged shirt. "I...I'm so glad y-you're n-not d-d-dead!"

Kagome smiled down at the kitsune's orange head, one hand rising to gently stroke his hair. _'Poor Shippou...he's so young, and yet he's had to deal with so much...'_

Next came Sango, who thankfully didn't charge toward her. The taijiya managed to contain her tears as she wrapped her friend in a tight hug, careful of the wailing Shippou who seemed to be permanently affixed to her chest. "Kagome-chan...thank the Kami you're all right," Sango murmured. Kagome simply nodded, gently prying Shippou off her chest and cradling him in her arms.

Miroku did not embrace Kagome (from the look InuYasha had given him when he had started toward her, the houshi had guessed that any kind of physical contact would result poorly for him) but he stood across from her and smiled all the same. "Your will to live is truly astounding, Kagome-sama," he stated quietly. "Truly, your powers are awesome indeed."

Kagome blushed and muttered something about "it's not that, really," and shuffled about awkwardly. Miroku's smile widened as he reached for her hand, just as a sort of comforting, supportive gesture. Before it could even so much as come within three inches of hers, InuYasha's clawed appendage smacked the houshi's hand away with a growl of warning to accompany the slap.

"I wasn't going to _do _anything, InuYasha," Miroku complained, rubbing his cursed hand with his fingers. "I was just going-"

"I've learned by now to _not _trust anything you say, bouzou," InuYasha growled, moving swiftly so that he was beside his miko, his hand darting to her waist and drawing her close to him, ignoring her small 'eep!' of surprise.

"Now that you're all here, we c'n get going," InuYasha stated, his eyes becoming serious.

"Going where?" Sango asked. "We just got here."

"There's a houshi down south who's supposedly able to perform difficult and unusual exorcisms. I'm gonna find 'im and see if he can help Kagome..._without _killing her." InuYasha glared at the trio, who suddenly looked very awkward. "By the way, thank you _so much _for telling me that 'the only way Kagome can be saved is death.' I _really _needed to know that." The sarcasm in InuYasha's voice was dripping with a bitter resentment that made the accused group-members flinch.

"...it was better that you didn't know," Miroku finally stated, striding forward, Shakujou firmly grasped in his right hand. "You were already hurting so much...we didn't want to take away the faint light that came from the fact that Kagome was alive."

"So you'd have let me live in a lie?" InuYasha hissed, ears pressed against his scalp. Kagome put her arms around his waist, murmuring something that was probably supposed to be comforting. InuYasha's temper was dampened by her calming scent, but he was too enraged to stop growling at his friends. "You think _that _was better for me; letting me hope that I could save Kagome and make up for my failure, then letting me find out that it was all for _nothing?_"

"InuYasha, it's okay," Kagome soothed, reaching up to rub one of his ears. "I'm okay, see? We're gonna make this okay. They were only thinking of you, anyway."

InuYasha snorted softly. So she would only accept that she could be saved if it comforted him? What a messed-up wench she was, to be sure! Then again, if it had her on the path of life once again, the hanyou knew he would accept any break he got. Still... "You should've told me," he accused, growling softly as Kagome's fingers gently scratched his ear.

"I knew we shouldn't have listened to Kikyou," Sango grumbled under her breath. Miroku placed a placating hand on her shoulder, preventing her from going on about Kikyou. InuYasha was angry enough as it was, though Kagome was, as usual, doing an excellent job of calming the hanyou down.

"So, shall we head south, then?" he asked, as a way of changing the subject.

"S'about damn time," InuYasha grumbled. "Let's go. We don't have much time."

"What do you mean, 'we don't have much time?'" Sango asked, halting as she put one leg over Kirara's back. "I know Mujōna's inside of Kagome and she could take over her again, but surely we could still-"

"No!" InuYasha snapped back. "We only got one week to find this guy, an-"

"Hold on a minute," Miroku interrupted, one hand rising to stop the hanyou's tirade. "What do you mean, we only have a week? What happens in a week?"

InuYasha swallowed, his eyes flicking to the yellow orb of the sun, which had barely risen in the sky, since it was only an hour since its head had peeped over the horizon. "...I managed to convince Kikyou to give us a week to find a...a _cure _for Kagome. When that time runs out, she's gonna kill Kagome...so that Naraku dies too."

Sango let out a small gasp shortly before her face became angry. "Why...why that...that _bitch!" _she fumed. "I know she said that Kagome had to die, but...but she never said anything about _murder! _Dammit, if I had been there, I would have-"

"Calm down, Sango," Miroku warned, glancing over at InuYasha to check for any signs of violent temper. To his relief, the hanyou didn't look any more angry than he had before, though one of his eyebrows was raised at Sango's little rant. "It's no use getting angry at Kikyou-sama when she isn't even here. Let's just focus on heading south for now, all right?" Sango still looked angry, but with a jerky nod she boarded Kirara, Miroku right behind her. InuYasha snorted softly before kneeling down and letting Kagome board his back. Kagome eagerly climbed aboard, then abruptly leaped off as Shippou (whom she had forgotten she was holding) let out a squeak of protest as he was nearly squished.

"Oops-sorry, Shippou-chan," Kagome apologized, lifting the kitsune and checking him for any sort of injury. "Are you all right?"

Shippou put on a brave face, his tiny chest puffing out. "It's all right, Kagome! I'm a strong and brave warrior! Nothing like this could hurt me!"

"That's all well and good, but can we fuckin' hurry up?" InuYasha snapped, glaring at Kagome with undisguised impatience. "We don't have all day to be standing around nattering!"

Kagome laughed softly before placing Shippou on top of the hanyou's head and clambering onto InuYasha's back once more. She sighed softly, burying her face into his soft silver mane like one who is submerging herself in a cold bath after a long day on a dusty road. It had been so long since she had ridden on InuYasha's back...she had almost forgotten how nice it was. She noticed that the hanyou had relaxed quite a bit when she had gotten upon his back, almost purring, despite the bouncy kitsune on his head.

_'I guess...while there is a chance to save my life...I should seize it with both hands.'_

* * *

><p>It was about noon in the forest, the spoke from the fire having long since dissipated into the clean air of the woods. The two forest giants on one side of the clearing creaked, groaned, then toppled as Kyūna-shi pushed his way past them, his gaping mouth fixed in a snarl as he sniffed heavily at the air. The giant youkai knelt upon the ground, sniffing at the faint scents that had only faded somewhat from the ground around the dead fire. Kyūna-shi scented the bent grass and the dead ashes, his slimy drool dripping from his open mouth to plop down on the solitary blades of grass.<p>

**"Muj****ōna****...you're still alive...but you're so weak..." **Kyūna-shi's great red eyes turned up to the azure sky, his great fists lolling limply on the ground. **"I wonder...what is that hanyou planning to do with you now that you cannot fight them?"**

Kyūna-shi shook his head, then pushed himself to his powerful hind legs, his black tail swishing gently behind him. **"No matter! I shall rescue you, Muj****ōna****, no matter how many days and nights it will take!" **With a roar of determination, the ōkami-youkai lumbered off into the trees, using his overlong arms to propel himself through the woods. Kyūna-shi was on a mission, and he was desparate to succeed, no matter what the cost.

* * *

><p>The night descended swiftly, far too swiftly for InuYasha's liking. Miroku and Sango had insisted that they stop at the first village they found, an act that was swiftly agreed upon by Kagome and Shippou. InuYasha had wanted to keep traveling, but Miroku had denied his request, stating, "If we leave now, we'll have to camp in the woods tonight, and I do not think we have the resources to do so." Reluctantly, the hanyou had finally agreed, the prospect of a hot meal and a soft bed (for Kagome; he preferred sitting up when he slept) proving too alluring for him to resist.<p>

However, none of the villagers had heard of a houshi who could perform unusual exorcisms. Most of them just shrugged and pointed to Miroku, saying, "Why can't _he _do it, then?" Not only that, but after _someone_ (with a poofy tail) said that it was to help Kagome, most of the people in the village avoided Kagome like she was Naraku himself. Needless to say, the miko had become rather depressed, her head and shoulders slumping until she had withdrawn into herself.

"C'mon, Kagome," InuYasha growled when Kagome just stared at the meal that the innkeeper had brought for them. "You gotta eat, you know."

"Not hungry," she muttered, pushing the tray away.

"Kagome-chan, just _forget _about those villagers," Sango urged, pushing the tray back toward her. "It's not your fault that...that you're possessed. I mean, at least you're trying to find a cure, instead of trying to use the youkai for your own means."

Kagome didn't reply, though she did pick up a small piece of meat and popped it into her mouth, chewing mechanically. InuYasha let out a sigh of relief, though he still watched Kagome like a hawk, making sure she ate more than just the one piece of meat.

"Remember what you said, Kagome," he told her sternly later that night when they were seated inside their chosen room (the finest Miroku could get for one of his special 'exorcisms') "You said that everything would be okay."

Kagome looked at him, her eyes sad. "What's the point," she whispered, "if I won't be forgiven for what I've done?"

"For fuck's sake, Kagome, those villagers were just makin' nasty guesses cuz the damn kitsune couldn't keep his mouth shut!" InuYasha snapped, ears flattening against his head. "Don't start getting all depressed now! They know _nothing!_"

"But, Inu," Kagome moaned softly, "I've _killed _people. How could they forgive me for that?"

InuYasha (who was glad that the houshi, taijiya, and kitsune were out at the moment) swept forward and wrapped her in a hug, raising a hand to the back of her head. "Kagome, take it from me, it ain't whether or not _they _forgive you that matters; _you've _gotta forgive you! Kami, it isn't even _you _who murdered all those people! It was Kyūna-shi and Mujōna who killed them; that bitch Mujōna just used your body to do it! Dammit, Kagome, just _stop blaming yourself for something you didn't do!_"

Kagome blinked at him, shocked by the normally quiet hanyou's rather touching speech. "Um...uh...I really don't know what to say," she mumbled, blushing.

InuYasha snorted. "That's just cuz you're not thinking straight, baka," he reprimanded, shaking his head with a patronizing look on his face. Kagome glared at him, a spark of life reentering her eyes as she did so.

"_You're _the baka, baka," she retorted.

"You're just mad cuz I outsmarted ya," InuYasha bragged, his face breaking out into a fanged grin.

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. "Jerk," she told him.

The hanyou merely shrugged, his eyes glowing with pleasure. But as Kagome turned away from him to dig around in her backpack for pajamas, his face fell, rapidly becoming worried.

_'Six days left,' _he thought, looking out of the slightly open shoji doors. _'I've only got six days left to find that damn houshi and get Muj__ōna__ out of Kagome's head before Kikyou decides that death is the only option...' _

_'Dammit, I hope I don't fail you **this** time, Kagome.'_


	29. The Quest for Salvation, Part II

_Six days remaining..._

InuYasha and the others spent the entire day traversing on the never-ending road to the South, trying to find any sign of a temple or a village where they could stop and ask where the houshi who performed unusual exorcisms was. However, today there was nothing to be found. They darted through forests, over fields and skirted the edges of long since peaceful battlefields. The group avoided the battlefields for two reasons: one, it was more respectful to the long dead warriors to go around, and two, Kagome started acting up if they got too close. Since she rode upon InuYasha's back, the hanyou could feel the tension radiating through her small frame every time they saw the tell-tale signs of the many carrion birds circling in the sky, searching for any remaining scraps of meat. Then, she would curl up against his back, her face hidden in his mane as her body started trembling violently. He knew she was thinking of the murders that Mujōna had forced her to commit, and felt his hatred for her and all the rest of Naraku's ilk deepen every time it happened.

The sun was sinking in the sky by the time they admitted that they could go no further this night. InuYasha was anxious to press on and find the houshi, but the others were exhausted from the long day of non-stop travel and were eager to sleep, the houshi and taijiya dropping off almost instantly.

As for Kagome, she didn't seem as depressed as she had both nights before, but she wasn't dropping instantly off to sleep, either. She sat, wrapped in her pink sleeping bag, staring up at the glimmering stars overhead. After thirty minutes of watching her, InuYasha got up and went over to her, trying and failing to keep his concern out of his face.

"Why're you still up, Kagome?" he asked, trying to be quiet for the rest of the group's benefit. Kagome jumped and turned to face him, obviously surprised by his sudden appearance. However, she didn't protest when he sat down next to her, and in fact leaned against him, grateful for his presence.

"I know you said that I should...forgive myself for what happened," she mumbled. "But I can't help thinking that...that if I had just been stronger, had been able to fight Naraku off, then all those people would still be alive, and...and..." Kagome trailed off, blushing deeply as she looked away from the hanyou's curious golden eyes.

"And?" he tried to prompt, unable to keep the curiosity out of his voice.

"Never mind," Kagome quickly blurted, right before changing the subject. "Do you think we'll find a lead tomorrow?"

InuYasha's brows furrowed with irritation at Kagome's unwillingness to tell him her thoughts, but he let it go for the moment. "I hope so," he grumbled, ears drooping despite the annoyed tone of his voice. "We've already wasted two days an' found _nothing._"

Kagome's eyes closed as she wormed her way closer to the hanyou's warmth, not seeing the flush that bloomed on his cheeks as she did so. "We've still got five days left, y'know," she told him sleepily."

InuYasha didn't reply, and a few minutes later, Kagome was asleep, her breast rising and falling lightly, untroubled by nightmares, protected by the presence of her hanyou. InuYasha looked over at his friends, who _looked _asleep (but he knew better than to trust his eyes) before putting an arm around the sleeping miko's shoulders and drawing her closer to him, glad that he was at least able to give her a safe place to sleep.

* * *

><p><em>Five days remaining...<em>

Much like the day before, most of the day was spent traveling non-stop. However, they managed to find a village at about mid-afternoon, so the day didn't feel _completely _wasted. Plus, when they asked around, the villagers said that they had heard of a houshi who could perform unusual exorcisms. Their good luck ran out, unfortunately, when they asked if they knew where he lived, and nobody was able to agree. In another situation, it might have been funny, the wide variety of answers they got:

"Oh, I heard he lives in a mountain temple somewhere, all isolated, like a hermit."

"That houshi? I heard he lives in a cave, like a proper animal! Most people don't go near 'im."

"The houshi who performs unusual exorcisms? I heard he lives in the city, mingling with the people and helping them whenever he can."

"You need a houshi? I heard of one who was a wanderer, unable to call any place his home."

By the end of the day, they'd heard so many different stories that their heads were filled to bursting with information, unable to sort out the truth from the wild rumors.

"Kami fuckin' dammit!" InuYasha swore, punching the wall of the hut they were staying in so hard that his fist easily broke through the board, creating a gaping hole in the wall. "How the fuck do we know what's the truth and what's the lies?"

"The only true way to determine the truth would be to continue journeying south and seeing for ourselves which rumors prevail," Miroku stated calmly, eying the hole in the wall with more than a little disapproval. "After all, rumors become more distorted the farther they get from their source. The closer we get, the more truthful the stories become."

"We don't have the fuckin' time for this!" InuYasha swore, trying hard not to punch something again.

"Calm down, InuYasha," Kagome tried to soothe. "Miroku-sama's right. All we can do is just to keep going south to see for ourselves what the truth is. It's too early to start getting frustrated with the search."

"Feh!" InuYasha grunted, unable to think of anything else to say.

* * *

><p><em>Four days remaining...<em>

The group found a small temple during the next day's travels, in which there dwelled a small order of houshi devoted to the study of Buddhism. Though they had heard of the houshi the group was searching for, they didn't know his exact location, though the head houshi was able to narrow down their search somewhat.

"No, he doesn't live in the mountains or a cave of any sort," the head houshi had informed them, laughing softly at the ludicrous rumors. "If I remember correctly, he lives in a small temple located deep within the forest. The recluse part of the rumors is true, though; only those afflicted with illness and possessed by youkai can visit him. Others...should keep their distance from him." The group thanked the head houshi and his followers for their information and their hospitality, but declined offers to stay for the night, opting instead to use the remaining hours of daylight to resume the search for the elusive houshi.

"Well, at least we've narrowed down the search a little," Sango remarked some time later after an hour or so of gloomy silence. "We won't have to search so far, to say the least."

"But there are _hundreds _of fuckin' forests in Nippon," InuYasha grumbled irritably, hands stuffed in his haori sleeves. "How do we know which one is the right fuckin' one?"

"Plus, how do we know we haven't passed it already?" Miroku mused, amethyst eyes worriedly studying the sky. "We have traversed through one or two forests during our southern journey, after all."

"Stop being pessimists!" Shippou hissed, his tail poofing up to twice its natural size. Kirara also hissed, fluffing up herself. "All this negative talk isn't helping Kagome at all! Baka Miroku! Baka InuYasha!"

At the kitsune's words, both men looked to Kagome, who had been trailing behind since they had resumed their travels. Her face was drawn and pale with worry, and InuYasha immediately berated himself for not noticing sooner. With a swift leap, the hanyou was at her side.

"Fuckin' hell, Kagome, I'm sorry," he groaned, ears flattening to his head in shame. "I didn't mean to be all pessimistic and shit."

Kagome looked up at him, as if noticing InuYasha for the first time. "Huh? Oh, no, it isn't that, InuYasha," she said distractedly. "I...I was just thinking about what that houshi back at the temple told us...about how that other houshi won't see anyone who isn't sick or possessed." Fear flickered in Kagome's brown eyes, mixed with a dark, endless loneliness. "I...I don't want to be alone again," she whispered, her arms coming up to wrap around herself as she shivered, though the day was actually quite warm.

The hanyou felt a stab of pain deep down in the core of his soul as he watched the miko shiver with fear. Forgetting his earlier pessimistic view on the situation, InuYasha wrapped his shivering miko in a hug, nuzzling her neck and mumbling, "It's okay, Kagome. I'm still here, an' I'll stay with you for as long as time allows. Don't worry, I won't leave you again."

Kagome hugged the hanyou fiercely, blinking back her tears as she managed a rough thank you for the hanyou's unusually kind words.

"Y'know, the rest of us will stay with you too, Kagome-chan," Sango grumbled, a touch annoyed that InuYasha seemed to have forgotten them. Miroku put his hand on her shoulder, a smile just barely touching his lips.

"Let them have their moment, dear Sango," he chided gently. "Kami knows when the next opportunity will present itself."

* * *

><p><em>Three days remaining...<em>

Time was running out. InuYasha couldn't believe that four days had already passed and they had found nothing. Despite Miroku and Sango's reassurances that the information they had received was invaluable in finding the houshi they were looking for, the hanyou felt more and more tense with every passing hour.

Kagome's increasingly depressed attitude wasn't helping much, either. InuYasha knew that she saw the lack of results as a sign that she wasn't meant to be saved, which bothered him immensely. Even though he told her daily that the villagers' deaths weren't her fault and that he would fight off anyone who tried to kill her (Kikyou included) she wasn't cheering up. If she couldn't find the strength to forgive herself...how would she be strong enough to survive?

So InuYasha pushed the group harder and faster than he had for the past few days, urging them onwards, not stopping for meals or rest, desperate to find the houshi before time ran out, or Kagome lost the will to live. Whichever came first.

The village they found some time in the afternoon came as a blessing to the exhausted group, for they had been running nonstop ever since the sun had come up that morning. The Kami truly smiled upon them that afternoon, for this village not only knew of the houshi's existence, they knew who he was and where he lived.

"Old Hatsuharu's been practicing exorcisms and all that for as long as I can remember," the headman told them as he bade them to rest themselves after their long journey. "He lives in the forest just over yonder...it's a little over a day's march from here. If you make good time, you should reach his place this time tomorrow if you start out in the morning."

Cheered by this news, the group happily settled down in the room the kind headman offered them (without the need for one of Miroku's 'exorcisms' for once). InuYasha was just happy that Kagome didn't seem so depressed anymore, what with the news that salvation was just possibly within reach of her grasping fingers.

_'Is it possible that I might be saved after all?' _Kagome wondered, gazing up at the ceiling that night as her friends slept around her. Her mind was buzzing, unable to let her rest, filled with the small hope that 'old Hatsuharu' presented. _'Will...will I be able to really __**live **__again?'_

_Go...gomen...nasai..._

Kagome started up, her eyes wide as she looked left and right for the source of the voice, her heart thudding hard and fast within her chest. _'Not now...not when I'm so close!'_

_Gomennasai, Naraku-sama...Sesshoumaru was too strong for us...I failed you..._

_'It can't be!' _Kagome thought wildly, eyes filling with tears as she realized that the all too familiar voice was coming from within her own head, soundless and toneless.

_Too weak...I was too weak...still so weak...why am I so tired?_

"NOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed, her voice despairing and shrill. Her friends were startled into wakefulness with shouts of horror and alarm. A split second later, InuYasha was at Kagome's side, his hands on her shoulders, his worried gaze searching her face.

"Kagome-dammit, Kagome, what the hell's wrong?" he demanded, stomach churning at the frantically fearful look on Kagome's face.

"She's waking up-_she's waking up!_" she shrieked, her hands fisting in his haori as she began hyperventilating. "I...make her go away! MAKE HER GO AWAY!"

InuYasha hissed, his fangs flashing as his ears flattened.

"InuYasha, what in the Kami's name is going on?" Sango demanded, Hiraikotsu on hand just in case of an attack.

"I think Mujōna's waking up!" InuYasha growled back, barely paying attention to the taijiya. Kagome was now starting to moan and shriek wordlessly, her hands fluttering ineffectually about her head as her breathing became faster and shallower. The hanyou pulled her forward, letting her face rest upon his chest as he began nuzzling her hair. "Calm down, Kagome," he soothed, lifting one hand up to stroke the long midnight strands that fell across her back. "It'll be okay. I promise we'll get you to the houshi before Mujōna can wake up completely. I _promise _you won't have to...to be forced to kill people again. I _promise._"

"I-I w-want her t-to go away," Kagome choked, her tears staining his red haori as they trailed rapidly down her face. "W-Why can't she just leave me alone?"

InuYasha had no words to comfort his miko, and cursed himself silently as she cried into his haori, unable to voice anything that could help her find the peace she needed to sleep. His only hope was that they could find Hatsuharu the houshi before Mujōna became strong enough to take over again.

* * *

><p><em>Two days remaining...<em>

The forest where Hatsuharu lived was darker and more ominous than most of the forests the group had traveled through, which was unexpected, given that they were dealing with a houshi. With every step they took, the fear in Kagome's eyes mounted, and she was drawing closer and closer to InuYasha's side, seemingly determined to become permanently glued to the hanyou as her trembling steadily became more violent.

InuYasha knew that it wasn't Hatsuharu or the dark forest that frightened the miko; it was the fact that Mujōna was waking up and would regain control of her body when she got her strength back. Plus, Kagome would have to go to Hatsuharu alone, and if something bad happened to her...

The hanyou shook himself fiercely. This wasn't the time for such negative thoughts, not when they were this close! This was the only chance to save Kagome from Mujōna's (and Naraku's) grasp, and if they backed out now, she was doomed.

"InuYasha, I see something!" Miroku called, breaking into the hanyou's thoughts. InuYasha followed the houshi's pointing finger and saw a faded sign nailed into a tree trunk, its wood ragged and its letters faint.

"What does it say?" InuYasha demanded, hating the fact that he couldn't just read it for himself. Miroku took pity on his hanyou friend and read the sign aloud for his benefit.

"'Beyond this point lies Hatsuharu's land. Those who do not need my assistance, come no further! Those in need, proceed one ri to find my shrine,'" he read, eyes narrowing to be able to see the sign in the murky light of the forest.

"So does that mean that only Kagome's allowed to go on?" Shippou asked, his emerald eyes wide.

"I guess so," Sango murmured, looking over at the miko in question.

Kagome's trembling had reached a feverish pitch, her eyes wide as her breathing came in fast gulps. Salvation was so close...but would she make it? Would she be able to stand being alone, even if just for a little while?

"Kagome, I know you're scared," InuYasha said, pushing the miko gently away from him so he fix his gaze with hers. "But you _have _to do this. This is the only way we know to get Mujōna out of your body and kill both her and Naraku for good. We'll stay here until you're done or you need us, whichever comes first." InuYasha paused, then he pulled off his fire-rat haori and draped it about her shoulders. "See? I'll still be with ya after all." The hanyou smirked at her, his eyes sparkling in the dim light.

Kagome smiled back, her trembling subsiding and her breathing resuming a more natural pace. "Thank you, InuYasha," she murmured, right before she stood on her tiptoes and planted a brief kiss on her hanyou's lips. Then, she turned toward the dark interior of the forest, and, with a deep breath to prepare herself, began walking into the shadows.

When she was gone, Miroku grinned at InuYasha, his eyes glinting with a familiar perverted light. "You lucky dog," he teased, winking roguishly at the hanyou.

InuYasha's cheeks were a bright red as he strode past the smirking houshi. "Shut up, bouzou," he grunted, though he actually looked quite pleased, one hand raising to rub his lips, almost reverently.

* * *

><p><em>One and a half days remaining...<em>

Kagome walked slowly through the forest, clutching InuYasha's haori tight about her shoulders. She didn't know how long she'd been walking, but her instincts told her that she couldn't be far now. The miko fervently hoped that she was close, for she could feel Mujōna coming closer and closer to true consciousness. Her time was truly running out, and fast.

_What...where am I? What is that dumbass miko doing? What the hell's going on?_

Mujōna's 'voice' sounded tired, but more aware, more emotional. Kagome gritted her teeth and pushed herself to go a little faster, careful not to trip over the many tree roots and small bushes that lined the path to Hatsuharu's temple. She _had _to make it, she just _had _to!

"Who goes there? Who comes to Hatsuharu's place? If you're selling something, I don't want any!"

Kagome started and nearly tripped over a small rock. The voice sounded like an old man's and seemed to come from everywhere. Steeling herself, Kagome straightened up and faced the direction she had been going.

"I'm not selling anything! My name is Higurashi Kagome, and I need your help, Hatsuharu-sama!" she called, her voice echoing off the tree trunks and reverberating through the forest. There was a pause, during which she could hear something shuffling toward her. She took a deep breath and strove to make her face as brave as possible.

A torchlight suddenly flared into existence right in front of her. Blinking furiously, Kagome scrubbed at her eyes, trying to clear up the water that had entered them at the sudden appearance of the light. An old man slowly swam into focus, clutching the torch in his gnarled hand. What little hair he had was pure white and tied back in a thin topknot. His skin was as wrinkled as the shell of a pickled chestnut and dotted all over with liver-spots. The kimono he wore looked about as ancient as he did, as did the wooden staff he grasped in his free hand. His black eyes, however, looked clear and bright, filled with the intelligence only years of experience could bestow upon someone.

"Are...are you Hatsuharu-sama?" Kagome asked, pulling the haori tighter about herself.

The old man gave a faint snort. "Well, who did you think I was, eh? What d'you want?"

Kagome looked down at the stooped figure in front of her and cleared her throat, feeling her determination return in a flood. "I'm possessed by a powerful youkai, and I need your help getting her out of my body."

Hatsuharu snorted again. "Must not be very powerful, if you can stand here and talk to me like that! Here, give me your hand!" Without waiting for Kagome to move, the old houshi propped his staff up against a nearby tree and reached up for her right hand. His eyes closed as his bony fingers slowly moved over Kagome's hand, his brow furrowing and becoming more wrinkled with each second that passed. Kagome didn't speak, her heart beating so fast it felt like it would jump out of her chest.

"By all that's holy," he whispered, "I have never felt so strong a youki before...strong enough to mask the fact that you were a miko! Dear Kami, you must forgive my rude behavior...I had no idea." Hatsuharu began to shake her hand, his face becoming apologetic.

Kagome smiled sadly at the wrinkled old houshi, gently stopping his fervent hand-shaking by putting her other hand atop his. "It's all right...you couldn't know just by looking at me that I'm a miko," she told him kindly. "Anyway, that _is _what this youkai's purpose is...to seal my powers and make me do...do..." Kagome trailed off, shuddering internally at the images that flashed in her head.

Hatsuharu saw the haunted look on Kagome's face and knew what he had to do. "Well then, we can't just stand around here nattering like a bunch of village women," he stated, taking up his staff and starting to shuffle away. "Come, come, let us go to my shrine. There I will prepare the things I need for the exorcism. Then, you will be a free woman once more, Ka-go-me."

Kagome followed the houshi at a respectful distance, clutching InuYasha's haori about herself like a child would clutch a favorite blanket. She watched Hatsuharu walking with curious brown eyes, both wanting and not wanting to talk to the reclusive old man.

"You're...you're really a nice person, aren't you?" she finally blurted out, unable to stop herself. Hatsuharu kept walking, using his staff to push himself forward. Kagome felt embarrassed, heat stealing through her cheeks as her insides twisted with awkwardness.

"I suppose I am," Hatsuharu answered, alleviating some of Kagome's embarrassment. "I do enjoy helping people...when they need it, anyhow. I just got tired of the whiners coming to me with everyday complaints: I sprained my ankle, Hatsuharu-san, I have a cold, Hatsuharu-san, I bruised my knee, Hatsuharu-san, my eyes have been acting up again, Hatsuharu-san, and so on and so on. I came to this forest about fifty years ago, and it is here that I have made my living, helping those who truly need help. Ah, here we are!"

The houshi extinguished his torch by throwing it to the ground, pointing toward a dark shape with his index finger, his black eyes sparkling almost excitedly. Kagome blinked, shocked by the sunlight that suddenly filled the small clearing ahead of them. From the look of it, the clearing was man-made, as Kagome could see stumps here and there, poking through the long grass like sleepy animals poking their heads out of their dens. In the middle of the clearing sat a large and decidedly shabby shrine. However, to Kagome, the place couldn't have been any more beautiful.

"Come inside, and we'll start preparing for the exorcism," Hatsuharu told her, moving stiffly toward the shrine's entrance. Kagome stood outside for a few seconds, feeling the sun warm her skin as her heart pounded in her chest, faster and harder than ever before. She was so close...

_'Please,' _she prayed, looking up at the blue sky that was barely marred by the white clouds lazily drifting through the air, _'Please let this work...please let me have this one chance to be myself again, really and truly this time!"_

* * *

><p>ri-a unit of measurement, about half a mile in length<p> 


	30. The Exorcism

Upon entering the small building in the center of the clearing, Kagome discovered that the inside of Hatsuharu's shrine was just as shabby as the outside, though all of the rooms inside of it looked unusually clean and shiny, well taken care of, despite the general crumbling state of its timbers. The main room of the shrine contained a single statue of the Buddha and a shabby futon-most likely the place where the exorcisms were performed. Kagome glanced around the room with some trepidation, her stomach churning nervously.

"Before we begin, I want you to change out of your clothes," Hatsuharu informed her, rummaging in a box of items and throwing a crisp white yukata to her, which she just barely managed to catch. "There is a stream out back; go and purify yourself while I ready this place for the exorcism."

Kagome nodded and walked in the direction the houshi indicated. The 'backyard' of the shrine was surprisingly extensive, and it took her quite some time to locate the stream in question. When she had at last located the stream the houshi had mentioned, she quickly stripped and submerged herself in its clean, cold waters. Despite the frigid feel of the babbling water, the process of purifying herself was quite nice, allowing her to get all the dust and dirt of the long trail off her body, plus it helped to clear her mind of the last dregs of nervousness she felt. Even if Mujōna regained her full consciousness, she reasoned, chances were that the youkai would be far too weak to take over her body, and if she had been weakened, then there was a possibility that the exorcism could force her out of her body.

_'I'll do it!' _Kagome told herself, shivering slightly as she let the water run through her long black tresses, _'I'll go through with this exorcism and get Muj__ōna__ out of my body! Even if it means having to deal with the deaths I caused, even if it means we have to hunt Naraku down again, I'll still do it. After all...it takes more strength to live than it does to die.'_

With that thought reverberating in her mind, the miko finished bathing herself and hopped out of the stream, shivering slightly in the breeze that drifted through the clearing, making the cold water downright freezing as it slowly trailed down her bare skin. Kagome shook the water out of her hair and dried herself to the best of her ability before donning the white yukata Hatsuharu had given her. As she reentered the shrine, she grabbed the red haori that lay atop the small pile of clothes that she had taken off; even if he wasn't here, the promise of InuYasha's protection was enough to keep her bravery in check.

Hatsuharu had apparently gotten a lot of work done since she had been in the stream; there was now a pentagram drawn on the floor underneath the small futon. Next to the houshi sat three earthenware bowls, still empty as of that moment. Hatsuharu looked up from whatever he was doing. One of his thin eyebrows raised when he saw the haori that Kagome clutched in her hands, but he did not comment on it.

"Are you prepared for the exorcism?" he asked, placing his staff upon the floor as he gazed into her eyes, his face serious. Kagome nodded, clutching the haori tightly to her chest. The houshi nodded and beckoned her to come closer, taking a bowl of some clear liquid and handing it to her. "It's a potion that will help you sleep through the exorcism...I will tell you now, though, I am not making any guarantees as to whether or not you will feel pain."

"It's okay. Any pain that I suffer will be _worth _getting rid of Mujōna," Kagome stated, determination shining in her brown eyes. Just then, she felt a prickle of awareness in the back of her mind as the youkai in question stirred again.

_What...what's happening? Get...rid...of...?_

Without any further thoughts or words, Kagome drank the potion the houshi had given her, swallowing it down with a few swift gulps. Then she lay upon the futon, InuYasha's haori still clutched to her chest like a talisman. The potion was faster than she would have thought possible; only a few minutes after drinking it, she was fast asleep, chest rising and falling gently as her hands released their tight hold on the hanyou's haori.

Hatsuharu waited until the potion had taken its full effect before he gently pulled the haori off her chest, setting it aside, out of range of the pentagram. Then, with a small sigh, he lifted a small branch from the foot of the Buddha statue, placing it beside the clay bowls on the floor as he started muttering softly, preparing for the difficult task ahead. He settled himself more comfortably on the floor, flexed his aged shoulders and cleared his throat one last time before he started on a chant, a basic one used for low level youkai. A faint chance it could work, after all...

The star glimmered, sparkled, then began to shine with pale blue light as the exorcism began. Kagome groaned softly and fidgeted, her face working slightly. Other than that, nothing happened. Hatsuharu grunted softly. It was to be expected, he told himself. Any youkai that could possess a miko and suppress her powers wouldn't be too easy to exorcise. The aged houshi set his bent shoulders into a determined line, eyes narrowing as he focused on what he had to do now. Time to try a different tactic-the exorcism reserved for the youkai that were stronger than average, the ones that usually made the legends and the bedtime stories.

"O five elements that make up this world, hear this one's prayers and answer my call!" he declared, pushing a bag of materials, the branch and the three bowls closer to the circle. The circle pulsed and changed color, shifting from palest blue to white.

"Purifying water, wash away all traces of evil from this pure soul's body!" The houshi poured water into one of the bowls and placed it upon the first point of the star. The pentagram pulsed and changed color again, deepening to a darker blue. Kagome's back arched slightly, the muscles of her face working as she twisted uncomfortably.

"Cleansing fire, burn away this youkai's flesh and chase it from its most undeserving host!" Hatsuharu placed a small amount of grass into another bowl and lit it with a piece of flint and half of a steel katana, making a tiny flame, which he placed upon another point of the star. It pulsed again and turned a fiery red. Again, the miko writhed, though this time her face was more pained, sweat beading on her brow as her eyes roved around beneath her eyelids.

"Eternal Earth, provide a safe place for this one's soul to rest without fear of darkness!" Into the third bowl went a handful of soil, placed upon another one of the star's points. The light changed from red to earthy brown, and the miko at its center let out a shrill scream, tears glimmering beneath her sealed eyelids as the youkai inside of her fought with whatever strength it had, trying hard to stay inside of its host.

"Enduring metal, give this child armor that will never again be pierced by youkai!" The steel blade of the katana that he had used to light the fire went on the penultimate point of the star, making its light change to silvery white. Kagome screamed again, one of her hands reaching up to clasp her right ear as a mixture of scarlet blood and strange purple black liquid started to gush forth, a sure sign that the youkai inside her body was losing its hold on her brain. Hatsuharu was sorry that he had to cause her such pain, but as she herself had said before, if it got the youkai out of her body, then it was pain worth enduring.

"Purging wood, leech out the poison of this woman's soul and allow her to live her life anew!" Last but not least, Hatsuharu placed the branch he still held at the star's uppermost point, watching as the light turned to brightest green and the spell reached its climax. Lightning bolts of each different color sprang up at each of the points set around the young girl's body, glittering with fierce power shortly before lancing her flesh with their pure, heat-less light.

Kagome screamed again, louder and shriller than ever before. Her eyes flew open, pupils contracting so much that they were no more than tiny black dots swimming in a brown sea. Hatsuharu was actually forced backwards when the bolts unchained the miko's long sealed reiki, her powers bursting forward like a long sealed river breaking free of its dam. The blood/purple fluid mixture bubbled and gushed sporadically in a gristly parody of a live birth. Then, with a small gush of blood and liquid shouki, the slimy black body of Mujōna emerged, her body flattened to the width of a pencil as she fought to exit the burning hell that Kagome's body had become. The snakelike youkai's body looped and swirled as she pulled her body out of the miko's ear canal in a seemingly endless string of pulsating black flesh. Hatsuharu leaped forward, his staff clutched in both hands as he swung at Mujōna's body. However, the aged houshi had been tired out by the ferocity of the exorcism he had performed, and all the bright lights had confused his old eyes to the point where everything looked dark. The edge of the staff caught Mujōna in what could have been her midriff, but merely caused her flesh to bend and snap back like rubber, causing Hatsuharu to stumble and almost fall. The youkai wrapped herself about the houshi's staff, trying to escape this hell she had entered, handicapped by the fact that she could not see, hear or smell, relying solely upon touch to get her to safety.

Hatsuharu may have been weak, but he had once been a powerful houshi, long ago when he was young. Summoning all his remaining strength, the old man managed to blast the youkai away from him, watching as her skinny body tore through the shoji door to the outside, but once again, the bright light (this time from the setting sun) blinded the houshi and confused him just long enough for Mujōna to wriggle through the grass and reach the stream, vanishing swiftly beneath the gurgling waters.

_'Damn my aged eyes! It got away...' _Hatsuharu shook his head and turned toward the miko lying in the middle of the now darkened circle.

The situation looked pretty bad. A small pool of blood had formed around the right side of Kagome's head, soaking into the pure white of her yukata and coagulating in her raven tresses. Blood still leaked from the inside of her ear, dripping down onto the ragged boards beneath her head. Her body, which had been moving so violently during the exorcism, lay still now, though Hatsuharu couldn't tell whether the miko was unconscious or dead. Her face was empty, devoid of all emotion.

"No, young'un, no! Don't give up now, not when you're so close!" Hatsuharu hurried over to the miko's prone form, extending a shaking hand to place upon her breast. The old houshi closed his eyes, focusing all his effort into feeling for a heartbeat. His relief was paramount when he felt a faint thudding against his palm. Raising his hand to her lips, he felt the faint _whoosh _of breath touching his fingers. _'Still alive, then,' _Hatsuharu thought. _'But in bad shape. That youkai must have done some damage to her while it came out of her ear...poor thing. I'm afraid she isn't out of the woods yet.'_

Hatsuharu grabbed a clean white cloth out of his little bag, wetting it with some of the water that remained in the earthenware bowl and held the rag to Kagome's ear, watching as the white cloth slowly darkened to brownish-red.

_'I must get her to the village; she needs help, and I am not the one to give it. I know nothing of internal injuries of this sort, nor do I know what sort of damage that youkai did to her mind.' _As he was thinking, Hatsuharu's hand found the edge of the haori that Kagome had been holding like a shield before the exorcism. The houshi fingered it, studying it with his still bright eyes. _'This is not something a maiden like her would wear. This is the clothing of a young man; a friend, maybe?'_

_'If she has friends nearby...then it's the least I can do to take her to them.'_

* * *

><p>"What the hell's taking so long?" InuYasha swore, looking at the sky for the twentieth time that hour and scowling at the sun's position. "We don't have all day-not that there's much left of it!"<p>

"Patience, InuYasha," Miroku sighed, not opening his eyes as he rested his back against a nearby tree. "Exorcisms that involve expulsions from living humans always take time."

Shippou looked anxiously from Miroku to Sango, his emerald eyes frantic. "But didn't Kikyou tell us that Mujōna couldn't be exorcised? What if it just gets worse? What if she loses her memory again?"

InuYasha leaped up from his sitting position, his scowl morphing to a look of anger/horror. Sango looked up from cleaning her Hiraikotsu and glared at the kitsune. "Shippou, not helping," she scolded.

"But still-!" he cried, his little hands waving about in helpless terror.

"Kikyou said that she herself couldn't exorcise Mujōna from Kagome's body, and I'm not sure she even wanted to try. I myself don't perform exorcisms of that sort on stronger youkai; they can backfire very easily if those inexperienced at doing such things are performing them," Miroku stated calmly, still not looking at anyone. "Better to go to someone who has performed this sort of exorcism for many, many years."

InuYasha relaxed the tiniest fraction. "I still say it's takin' too fuckin' long, though."

"Of course you do," Sango muttered under her breath, too low for even the hanyou's keen ears to catch. She was tired of InuYasha's impatience, as it made the whole waiting experience ten times worse to endure.

Then, just as the sun was starting to dip beneath the Western horizon, InuYasha's ears stood up and he faced the direction that Kagome had gone, eyes searching the darkness.

"I hear something coming toward us," he hissed, eyes narrowing. The others slowly looked up, warily readying themselves for whatever might be coming.

The light of a torch appeared in the distance, the light dancing on the tree trunks and sending shadows of the dancing all over the forest floor. Then, the clattering of a small cart's wheels could be heard approaching them. InuYasha straightened, his hand releasing its tight hold on Tetsusaiga.

"It's a human," Miroku stated unnecessarily. "His aura is pure, as well. I think this might be the houshi who advertises himself here."

Ten minutes later, Hatsuharu hobbled into view, a torch set into a small sconce on the side of the old cart he was laboriously pulling toward the outskirts of his lands. He stopped upon seeing the group in front of him and let the cart squeal to a stop, one hand wiping across his sweaty brow.

"Is the miko who came to me for help of your group?" he asked, black eyes flicking briefly from InuYasha to Shippou to Kirara before resting upon Miroku. The younger houshi nodded and swiftly rose, approaching Hatsuharu. However, Miroku suddenly had to dodge aside, narrowly managing to move over before InuYasha bowled him over, the hanyou paying little attention to the people around him as he made his way toward the open bed of the cart.

Upon seeing Kagome lying upon a bed of straw, her face pale and empty, covered only by his haori and a bloody bandage wrapped about her head, the hanyou let out a howling scream that touched all the corners of the forest and sent flocks of birds rocketing toward the heavens with shrieks of their own. InuYasha reached out and gathered the prone miko to his chest, alternately howling and growling at the houshi.

"What...what the hell did you do to her!" he snapped, eyes both devastated and angry. "What's wrong with her?"

Hatsuharu raised his hands, trying to pacify the emotional group as the houshi, taijiya, kitsune and nekomata charged forward, looking upon their friend with equally shocked faces. "She's alive, you young idiots," he scolded, though his voice contained no malice or venom.

"Then. What. Is. Wrong. WITH! HER?" InuYasha bellowed, his body positioned protectively over the miko's.

"The exorcism...was a success in that the youkai was expelled from her body," Hatsuharu told them, his voice sad and grave. "However, the youkai did a lot of damage when it exited her body. If she manages to pull through the exertion of the exorcism, she probably won't be the same again, depending on the wounds inflicted inside her mind."

Miroku turned to Hatsuharu and bowed deeply, concealing his worried amethyst eyes behind his dark bangs. "Thank you for your kind act, Hatsuharu-sama. I am glad that you were, at least, able to kill Mujōna."

Hatsuharu abruptly looked ashamed. "I couldn't slay the youkai. She escaped before I was able to kill her." The houshi's shoulders bent inwards, making him look much older and more shriveled than before. "I am an old man, but still, to be unable to perform this one task...I truly have lost the power I held in my youth."

Miroku raised his hand to stop the houshi's small rant, flashing a glance over at Sango, who had forced a hand over InuYasha's mouth to stop the hanyou from saying anything disrespectful. "It is quite all right; we expected nothing less of Mujōna. We can just find her later on, after Kagome has recovered."

Hatsuharu smiled slightly. "Your sweet words are wasted on an old man like me, but I appreciate them all the same. Now, if you're done with this old buffer, go and take that miko to a healer! She needs to be taken care of, and fast!"

Before anyone could respond, or even blink, InuYasha was off, knocking Sango backwards as he darted through the forest, his hair vanishing in a brief wave of silver as the hanyou started running to the northeast, journeying toward a goal only he knew about.

"Sorry about him...he's...not exactly the social type, you know, since he was ostracized and all," Sango explained lamely as she dusted herself off.

Hatsuharu shook his head. "No, that was not the actions of a hanyou who hates the company of strange humans. What I saw was a man who desperately wanted to save the woman he loves...and who isn't afraid to act on his first impulse."

Miroku and Sango didn't have much time to dwell on the houshi's words before they were running after InuYasha, Kirara transforming and jumping up into the air, the humans (plus Shippou) leaping atop her back as she took off into the sky.

Hatsuharu watched them go for a little while. When he couldn't see them anymore, the old houshi turned around and started trundling back to his shrine, muttering softly under his breath.

"May the Buddha and all the Kami above smile down on you, young warriors. I hope your friend makes a full recovery...I sense too much sadness permeates lives that are far too young for such things, and it does not need anything to be added to it."

* * *

><p><em>AN: I probably won't be updating _Forget Me Not _as often as I was before, owing to the fact that school just started again and I have to do homework, projects, study guides and all that fun stuff..._

_Please be patient and I promise to deliver as fast as my schoolwork allows me!  
><em>


	31. Reuniting: the Race to the Hesei Jidai

_'How the hell could this have happened?'_

That one thought, resounding in the black youkai's head, was the only thing keeping Mujōna sane and able to think as she tumbled through the water. The blind youkai was powerless in the strong current of the stream (or river, or whatever it was) her only reliable sense-touch-unable to discern any sign of land around her, or driftwood, or anything that could possibly help.

The first thing that had greeted Mujōna as she regained full consciousness was the fiery pain of some sort of pure substance, which forced its was slowly and inevitably into her host's body. It hurt like hell, but Mujōna tried her damnedest to hold out, even as she was slowly pushed out of the miko's brain.

Then, for a vital second, she lost her grip on Kagome's powers. The resulting burst of reiki had badly burned her skin as the miko's long dormant powers had fought madly to remove the youkai from her body. Afraid for her life, Mujōna abandoned any notion of staying in Kagome's body and squirmed madly for the only salvation she could 'see'- the miko's ear canal. Forgoing her previous dexterity in the face of her burning skin, Mujōna had pushed roughly past the three bones in the miko's ear, smashing two of them and badly breaking the third, ripping through the delicate tissue of her eardrum as the slimy youkai headed for the safety of the outside world. However, the pure light still stung at her body, causing Mujōna to go almost completely mad with pain as she tried to get away. Then, there came a sensation like being hit with a huge mallet, sending her soaring backwards and into what felt like a grassy field. The purity couldn't touch her here, so Mujōna had slithered as far and as fast as she could, eventually ending up in the cold stream she was currently tumbling around in.

_'Dammit, not another waterway!' _she cursed, remembering the beating she had taken from the rain-swollen river one week before, only that time had been worse since she hadn't been feeling just her own pain, but Kagome's pain as well. Mujōna couldn't deny that the cold water soothed the burns that had been inflicted on her by Kagome's reiki, but she wanted to get out of the stream as quickly as possible.

Then, abruptly, her journey stopped. Wriggling about in the water, Mujōna discovered that something was blocking the stream's path. Upon further inspection, the youkai felt rough cords sliding over her body. A net, perhaps?

The net (for that's what it was) lifted free of the water, making Mujōna wince as the clean air stung her burns. She curled up into a slimy ball, not to hide, but to try and get more of the slime she secreted onto her burns to try and relieve the pain.

Suddenly, Mujōna felt faint vibrations in the air as the weight pressing down on top of her shifted slightly, as if someone was talking as they dug through whatever lay on top of her (most likely fish, from the feel of it). Like the predator she was, Mujōna waited for her foolish prey to find her, her 'head' moving to rest atop her slimy coils, her body still and tense. Then, she felt a hand curling about her slimy body.

Fast as lightning, Mujōna struck, launching herself up and out, stretching her body until it was as thin as a pencil before she wrapped herself firmly around the human's neck. She could feel his breath halt, feel his heartbeat pick up in terror, felt his hands claw uselessly at her slime-covered coils. Mujōna squeezed harder, idly wondering if the fisherman was a loner or if he had companions nearby. It felt like the former was the case, since no-one was coming to the fisherman's aid. _'No matter,' _she thought with a purr, _'it just makes my job easier.'_

Finally, the fisherman's hands stopped scrabbling at her coils and fell slack. Mujōna felt a huge _THUD _reverberate through his body as he fell to the ground, unconscious from the feel of his heartbeat. Quick as a whip the youkai uncurled herself from around the human's neck and slithered up his neck, feeling for the entrance to his ear. When she found it, she quickly squirmed inside, nimbly pushing her way past his eardrum and the three tiny bones as she made her way toward his brain.

A few minutes later she had full control of the human fisherman (whom she learned was called 'Ryouki'-not that she cared). Mujōna blinked and raised Ryouki's large and calloused hand to scrub at her eyes, unused to the bright light before her. It felt like _ages _since she had last seen the world around her, hadn't been reduced to blindness, deafness and muteness.

"How I have missed seeing the world," she sighed, then winced at the sound of Ryouki's deep bass voice. _'Urgh...I've only been inside of this dumbass for a few minutes and I already hate inhabiting men,' _she grumbled to herself. Then, she shrugged Ryouki's shoulders, pushed herself off the ground and headed for the outskirts of the small village that Ryouki called home, her mouth stretching into a devious smile.

_'But...I am alive, and Kagome is badly wounded!' _

Her smile turned thoughtful as she looked toward the distant horizon.

_'It has been far too long since we've made some mischief...wouldn't you agree, my dear Ky__ūna-shi__?'_

* * *

><p>InuYasha couldn't remember the last time he had ran so fast.<p>

The land flew beneath his pounding feet, his breath whooshing in and out of his lungs as he pushed himself as hard and as fast as he could possibly go, teeth bared and eyes narrowed against the turbulence. The hanyou didn't care about tiring himself out, nor did he care about if his friends could keep up with him; all he cared about was the limp, pale and deathly figure of the miko in his arms.

InuYasha knew he wasn't the smartest person in Nippon, but he knew enough to see that whatever hurts Kagome was suffering from were internal, not external. He also knew that the Sengoku jidai had no way of treating internal injuries besides giving the patients herbs to ease their pain while they passed on into the other world; but the Heisei jidai, on the other hand, was advanced enough to know how to deal with injuries like Kagome's. It was there that InuYasha was taking her, to the place where he _knew _she could get help.

The hanyou's heart curled up with shame at the thought of what Kagome's family would say when they saw her: her face pale and empty, the bloody bandage wrapped about her head, the limp way she lay in his arms. In the back of his mind, he wondered if they would forgive him for letting her get hurt like this, or if he had just ostracized himself from another human society.

_'No time for that shit!' _he chastised himself, shaking his head slightly as he pushed himself forwards. _'Kagome needs me right now, an' I can't afford to get distracted!'_

Behind him, the hanyou thought he could hear the sound of Kirara, soaring through the air as she followed him to his destination. InuYasha didn't turn his head to see if he was right; he focused all of his senses on the road in front of him, intent on the action of putting one foot in front of the other, sometimes using rocks and tree trunks to push himself even faster, other times jumping around or over obstacles such as fallen trees, streams and humans. There was no time to waste, no time to stop, no time...

"I don't think we can follow InuYasha anymore," Sango said, concern in her voice as she reached down and stroked Kirara's neck. The nekomata was panting hard, her pink tongue lolling out of her muzzle as sweat began to soak her cream and black fur. "Kirara's getting tired, and I don't want to push her any more than necessary."

"But...what about Kagome?" Shippou wailed, his tail wagging with anxiety.

"InuYasha will make sure she gets help," Miroku told him, allowing the kitsune to huddle on his shoulder as Kirara descended. "Sango's right. We've pushed Kirara a lot these past few days, and it would be cruel to push her past her limit."

Even as he spoke, the neko crashed into the ground, panting hard and fast as strings of drool dripped down her cream colored muzzle. Sango rushed to her side (after getting up from where she had fallen) and started stroking the diamond located in the center of the giant cat's forehead, murmuring words of apology to her.

Miroku, meanwhile, was looking at the silvery flash that was InuYasha's long silver mane, the only thing he could see of his hanyou friend.

"Run, InuYasha," he murmured softly. "Run with all the wind at your back, and save Kagome-sama once and for all."

* * *

><p>It was a quiet night in the Higurashi household. Souta was watching one of his favorite anime on their television set while ignoring his jii-chan's attempt to recant one of the shrine's old legends to them. Mama Higurashi sat contentedly in the living room with the rest of her family, sipping at a cup of strong tea while laughing softly at Souta's enraptured face as he cheered on the heroes of his show.<p>

Without warning, the shoji door connecting the living room to the rest of the house burst open, nearly flying off its frame from the force with which it was shoved aside. The three members of the Higurashi clan yelped and spun around to face the intruder.

They were startled to see InuYasha standing in the doorway, huffing and panting as if he had just run a thousand miles to reach their house. The hanyou's kosode was stained with sweat, his bangs dripping with it. His eyes were wild as he glared around at them, still breathing like a bellows.

Then, they saw the girl lying in his arms, garbed in nothing but InuYasha's haori, her face pale and her body limp.

As one, the Higurashis got up and moved toward Kagome and InuYasha, their faces alarmed and concerned.

"Kagome!" her mother cried, touching her face and trying hard not to burst into tears at the sight of the bloody bandage bound about her ear. "Oh Kami, what on Earth happened to you?"

"Hurt..." InuYasha panted, saliva dripping out from between his fangs as his chest heaved, trying to get air to his oxygen-starved body. "Need...healer...help her!"

Mama Higurashi nodded, blinked the tears from her eyes and moved quickly toward the phone, directing, "Father, try to put a blanket down for Kagome! Souta, get some washcloths from the bathroom, and make sure they're damp, okay?" Jii-chan bustled off to find a blanket, while Souta, who was obviously trying hard not to cry, rushed upstairs to one of the bathrooms.

InuYasha swayed dangerously on the spot, his vision blurring as he fought to remain conscious. How he had managed to run so many miles in the space of a few hours was beyond him, but he'd done it...for Kagome's sake. If only he wasn't so _tired, _he could help the Higurashis get Kagome to a healer, help get her more comfortable. It was the least he could do, seeing as it was partially his fault that she was injured.

Meanwhile, Mama Higurashi finished placing the call for an ambulance and went back into the living room, just in time to see the hanyou sway and nearly collapse with exhaustion.

"InuYasha-kun, why don't you sit down and rest?" she asked, her maternal instincts rushing forth at the sight of the tired hanyou. "There are people on their way to help Kagome, and they're experts at what they do. I'm glad you got Kagome here so quickly, but please, just rest and recuperate."

InuYasha shook his head, managing, "Wanna...stay...with her."

Just then, Jii-chan arrived with the blankets. Mama thanked him and spread one on the floor for Kagome to lie upon until the ambulance arrived, offering one of the others to InuYasha. The hanyou refused, opting instead to sit beside Kagome, watching her with tired eyes, determined to protect her until the people came. Mama Higurashi smiled slightly at his antics. _'He does love my daughter so much...' _she thought.

Souta arrived with the washcloths a minute or two later, trying to look brave and strong while hiding the urge to start crying loudly. His mother took them from him and, to everyone's surprise, started using one of them to clean the sweat from the hanyou's dripping face. When InuYasha turned to fix her with an incredulous stare, she smiled gently at him.

"You just looked so hot and tired, InuYasha-kun. I'll let you clean yourself off, if that's all right." InuYasha snorted softly, but took the cloth from her and proceeded to clean the sweat from his face and mane.

Fifteen minutes later, the ambulance arrived, and Kagome was swiftly carted away by two white-clad people with a stretcher. InuYasha had wanted to accompany her, but the aides told the family that in her current condition, it was best for her to travel alone. This had seriously pissed the hanyou off, but Kagome's mother had managed to hold him back with a gentle hand on his chest. They promised to call when she had been diagnosed, and away they went, lights blaring and sirens wailing.

"All we can do now is wait," Mama Higurashi said sadly, watching the lights fade into the night as she turned back toward the house.

"I hate waiting!" InuYasha growled, eyes narrowing and ears flattening.

Mama Higurashi looked at him, her eyes sympathetic. "I know you love my daughter and are concerned for her safety, but sometimes waiting is all you can do. It hurts, I know, but the results are worth the pain."

InuYasha blushed slightly when he heard the words 'love my daughter,' but he didn't deny them like he might have before all the shit with Mujōna had started. Now, he knew those words were the truth, and said nothing to dispute them. He felt so damn guilty for letting Kagome get hurt, though, he didn't feel like he deserved the faint approval he heard in her voice.

In a daze, he walked back to the Higurashi domicile, his haori clutched loosely in his fingers (the EMTs had given it back to Mama Higurashi when they took Kagome away, and she'd given it back to InuYasha). His feet didn't seem to be connected to his mind, and before he knew it, he was in Kagome's bedroom. The inu-hanyou's nostrils flared as he was inundated with Kagome's sweet scent, which had soaked into every inch of the room around him, even though it was stale since she hadn't been there in so long.

_'I hope this works,' _he thought as he went over and sat down on Kagome's pink-covered bed. _'She has to get better. She __**has **__to.'_

_'If she doesn't...I don't know what I'll do.'_

* * *

><p>Back in the Sengoku jidai, the light from the moon danced in bright scarlet puddles of blood, tickled the faces of the dead men lying beneath its silvery light, and sparkled on the matted black fur of Kyūna-shi, who stood in the middle of the destroyed village, laughing and laughing while surveying the damage before him.<p>

**"There is nothing, NOBODY who can stand before me!" **he roared, lifting his arms high over his head and screeching to the night sky. **"All of Nippon will bow before the might of Ky****ūna-shi****!"**

"Kyūna-shi, dear, you really need to control your hubris...It could get you killed." At the sound of the deep masculine voice, Kyūna-shi whirled around, snarling openly. However, the sibilant undertones in the voice...could it be...?

A burly human male strode out from between the houses Kyūna-shi had stomped into the ground, eyes blazing with familiar red light, face fixed in a smirk. The human stopped when he was right in front of Kyūna-shi and smiled cruelly at him. "Killing humans again...I am proud of you, you know."

**"Mu...Muj****ōna****?" **the giant youkai gasped, his own red eyes blinking down at the human. **"Is that you?"**

The human walked forward and stroked the fur of his arm, resting his cheek against his muscly forearm. "Yes, my dear ōkami-friend, it's me," 'he' purred softly. "Have you missed me?"

The ōkami youkai howled with happiness as he swung the human up into the air, panting joyfully as his mouth lolled open in a smile. **"Muj****ō****na! It is you! I'm so glad you survived!"**

The youkai/human laughed softly and batted at Kyūna-shi's giant paws. "Put me down, you big oaf!" she chided, though there was no malice in her voice.

Kyūna-shi quickly complied, placing her back on the ground and grinning sheepishly. **"Sorry. Guess I got carried away." **He cocked his head at Mujōna's choice of hosts, eyes studying the burly, masculine form of the fisherman. **"Why...are you inhabiting that human man? What happened to the girl?"**

Instantly, Mujōna's face creased with fury, her teeth clenching together as her fists clenched and unclenched. "They took advantage of my weakness and fucking _exorcised _me!" she hissed. "I barely managed to survive!"

Kyūna-shi snarled, his fangs clenching together with a _crunch. _**"Do you want me to kill them for you?"**

Mujōna sighed and gazed out into the distance. "I don't know. I've failed to do what Naraku-sama asked of me...I couldn't keep a hold on Kagome. Now it won't matter what host I choose to reside in, our enemies will be able to kill me, and with me, Naraku-sama."

Kyūna-shi raised a paw to his muzzle, wiping the drool away from his jaws as he glanced up at the sliver of moon overhead. **"Maybe...we could ask him?" **he suggested.

The youkai shrugged. "I don't know, Kyūna-shi. I just don't know," she sighed.

**"Then...maybe we could kill people until we come up with an idea?" **he asked, hope and blood-lust shining unhidden in his eyes.

Mujōna sighed and shook her head, a smile forming on her craggy face. "Ah, my dear Kyūna-shi, you'll never change, will you?" At the youkai's pleading look, she reneged. "All right, all right, we'll kill people until we come up with an idea."

**"Yes!" **Kyūna-shi boomed, clapping his paws together happily before offering his paw to Mujōna, who hopped on and sat on the giant wolf's shoulder. Together, they headed off into the distance, leaving the destruction behind them in pursuit of new carnage.


	32. Cosmic Punching Bag

The call came in the early hours of the morning, just when the sky was transitioning from darkest black to a dark gray. Mama Higurashi had been roused from a light doze by the shrill ringing of the phone and had quickly darted downstairs, catching the phone on its last cycle of rings and answering with a breathless "Hello?"

Behind her, standing hesitantly on the stairs, lurked InuYasha. The hanyou had also heard the phone when it had gone off, but he didn't know what it was, so he had been content to let it be. Now, seeing how Mrs. Higurashi was paying rapt attention to whatever the strange beige box was telling her, the inu-hanyou felt his stomach start to tie itself in knots out of worry. Was Kagome okay? Had the Heisei jidai healers been able to help her? Was she...gone?

InuYasha shook his head violently, growling at himself. _'Don't think like that, baka! She'll be fine-she's gonna be __**fine.**__' _Still, there was no stopping the agitated writhing of his stomach, or the frightened pounding of his heart. He fervently hoped that Kagome would be okay, wasn't...wasn't...

"InuYasha-kun?"

InuYasha started as Mama Higurashi addressed him directly. He blinked and saw that she was now standing in front of him, concern etched into every line of her kind face. "Come with me," she told him, gently pushing her way past him and making her way to Kagome's room. InuYasha followed, about ninety percent sure of where this was going.

Once they had arrived in the still-darkened room, Mrs. Higurashi settled herself down in the chair at Kagome's desk while InuYasha sat down on Kagome's bed, eying the older woman in front of him with some trepidation.

"InuYasha-kun, I need you to tell me what happened to my daughter over _there,_" she stated grimly, her face serious. InuYasha winced at the uncharacteristically harsh edge in the normally calm voice of Mama Higurashi. But it was only to be expected; he _had _brought her only daughter home unconscious and covered in blood.

So, even though he knew she wouldn't get everything, InuYasha told Mrs. Higurashi everything he knew about Mujōna; how Naraku had placed her inside Kagome's head to protect his heart from those who pursued him, but also to turn her against InuYasha and make her commit terrible deeds. How she had fought Sesshoumaru and lost, resulting in a return to herself that led to the exorcism that got Mujōna out of her head once and for all.

"But Mujōna apparently did a lot of damage when she exited Kagome's head, which was why..." InuYasha trailed off, wincing again.

Mama Higurashi's eyes were filled with sadness as twin tracks of tears traced their way slowly down her face. "My poor baby," she whispered slightly, reaching up to clutch her heart. "She must have suffered so..."

InuYasha couldn't meet her eyes, instead, he looked out the window, ears disappearing into his hair in shame. "I'm...I'm so sorry," he moaned, his voice lilting into a low whine. His heartbroken tone caught Mama Higurashi's attention, and she was shocked to see tears beading in the hanyou's golden eyes...something that she had never seen before, though she knew his life had been...well, it had been hell, no nice way to put it.

"InuYasha-kun, I'm just glad you got her home," she soothed, rising up from where she was sitting and embracing the hanyou's shoulders, his head resting against her stomach in a very mother to son sort of way. "Thank you for bringing her home so she could get help."

InuYasha didn't reply, and a few seconds later she released him and sat back down. Then, something seemed to dawn on her. "In case you're wondering," she told him, almost on an afterthought, "that phone call was from the hospital where they took Kagome." Upon hearing her name spoken aloud, InuYasha's ears twitched and his head snapped around to look straight at Mrs. Higurashi, eyes attentive.

"Is...is she all right?" he asked, not bothering to hide the anxiety in his voice.

"The description the doctor gave me matches the story you told me," she started, her face becoming worried again. "He said that she had a mild concussion; not life-threatening, though they're going to keep an eye on her."

InuYasha eyed Mama Higurashi furtively, knowing that that _couldn't _be it. "And...?"

Mrs. Higurashi's worry mixed with sadness as she continued. "I think, from what you told me and what the doctor said, when that 'Mujōna' thing came out of Kagome's ear, she shattered the bones in her ear and pushed them into the skin of her ear-canal. That's where most of the bleeding came from. They've got her on a transfusion right now while they get ready..."

"Get...ready?" InuYasha choked. What the hell did all this mean?

"The only thing that will save Kagome is if the doctors surgically remove all the broken bones from her ear and...and seal the canal when they're done. Her center of balance wasn't affected, but...but..." Mrs. Higurashi gulped as she got the most difficult of all the words out of her throat. "But she's going to be permanently deaf in her right ear."

The words hung in the air, like they had wings that allowed them to slowly drift down, covering the room with a layer of dread.

The silver-haired inu-hanyou was sitting, rooted to the pink-covered bed, eyes opened wide with a combination of shock and horror.

Permanently _deaf? _As in never hear out of that ear _again?_

"Deaf?" he finally managed, voice hoarse and raspy.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded, a sad smile crossing her face. "If she survives, it'll be worth it, don't you think?" she asked, her voice somehow managing to stay calm. "Life is worth many things, InuYasha-kun. I think Kagome will think so too." With that, Mama Higurashi rose from where she was sitting, stretching slightly as she moved toward the door. "I'm going to go prepare breakfast, InuYasha-kun," she told him, her hand on the doorknob. "As soon as we get news of Kagome, we'll try to go see her, okay?"

InuYasha's ear twitched slightly in response, then Mama Higurashi left the room, the door closing behind her with a soft _click. _After she left, the hanyou rose from his perch and went over to the window which he had used as a door many times before now, to the never-ending annoyance of the miko to whom this room belonged. He slid it opened and looked at the land lying out before him like some sort of painting, the buildings set against the magnificent backdrop of the rising sun.

_'Why does everything have to look so...so...__**normal?**__' _he groused morosely. It did all look normal, painfully so. It just seemed like all the color should be leeched from the sky, all the strong stone from the buildings, all the life from the air around him.

It just didn't seem right, knowing what was going to happen to Kagome...

_'Will she ever forgive me for __**this**__?' _he wondered sadly. _'What could I do to make up for this?'_

No ideas came to lift the hanyou's spirits, which seemed to act as a counterbalance to the rising sun. He just couldn't find the words he needed to soothe his wounded spirit.

* * *

><p>Miroku and Sango walked slowly through the empty landscape of Nippon. After Kirara had crashed a few hours before, they had decided to walk to the nearest village and wait a while before heading out in the direction of Kaede's village again. Sango carried Kirara, and Shippou rode on Miroku's shoulder, both youkai tired and both humans silent. They were all worried about Kagome and InuYasha, wondering if the hanyou managed to get Kagome to where she needed to be before it was too late.<p>

Then, just when the sun had dipped fully beneath the horizon and the darkness was starting to descend, Miroku felt a prickle touch the back of his neck. Reaching out with his cursed hand, he held Sango back as he readied his Shakujou with his other hand. "Do you feel something?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Sango's eyes hardened as she scanned the treeline, readying herself for a conflict. One hand moved up to the handle of her Hiraikotsu, her other hand moving Kirara to her shoulder, the nekomata jerking into wakefulness when she felt her mistress's fingers tighten about her body. Miroku also straightened up, his amethyst eyes moving in the direction where he thought he had detected youki.

To their surprise, a human who looked like he spent a lot of time near the water (a fisherman, perhaps?) approached them, his face affably friendly. His smile seemed to touch both sides of his face, though his eyes were in shadow.

"Ah, people! I have been lost for _ages _in this forest without hope of ever being found! Do you think you could direct me to the nearest village?" The fisherman cocked his head at them, an action that should have moved his eyes into what little light remained, but they were still shrouded in darkness, still hidden from the houshi and taijiya.

"Um, no...we're just as lost as you are," Sango told him, her voice suspicious and hesitant. Miroku didn't reply at all; he just eyed the man standing in front of him while occasionally glancing to the left and right of him.

"Well, that's too bad," the fisherman said, his voice sounding only slightly put out. "No-one nearby, then. No-one close at all."

Miroku anticipated the next event just before it happened; throwing himself sideways, he managed to knock Sango over right before the long claws of Kyūna-shi swept overhead, slicing through a few trees as he rushed at them from the left. Luckily, Miroku's quick action had meant that he, Sango, Shippou and Kirara escaped with no wounds, when they would have been decapitated if they had stood still.

"So, it _is _you after all," he declared, rising swiftly and pointing his Shakujou at the fisherman in question. "Mujōna."

The youkai sighed in that familiar resigned fashion as 'he' stepped forward, shrugging sadly. "I always forget that you're not as stupid as that hanyou; you don't fall for tricks so easily, do you, houshi?" Mujōna's red eyes flashed in the darkness, finally exposed for all to see.

**"Where **_**is **_**that hanyou, anyway?" **Kyūna-shi asked, looking left and right with obvious disappointment. **"Why isn't he here with you humans?"**

"That is _none _of your business!" Sango snapped, leaping up from the ground and brandishing her Hiraikotsu. Kirara, fully revived in the face of the two youkai, hissed and spat, fluffing herself up to twice her normal size.

"Oh, I think it _is _our business," Mujōna snarled softly, the fisherman's face contorting into a growl. "After all, _he _has my dumbass host with him. Naraku-sama instructed me to stay with my host, and after putting a lot of thought into it, I decided the only way to make it up to him was to repossess her and make damn sure she doesn't throw me off again."

"Like we'd _ever _let you take Kagome-chan away from us again!" Sango yelled, charging forward, her Hiraikotsu ready. As she went for Mujōna, Kirara charged forward, transforming in a cyclone of fire and roaring as she ran at Kyūna-shi, her saber teeth bared in a snarl. Kyūna-shi returned the roar with one of his own as he too charged forward, claws outstretched.

Meanwhile, Sango had managed to knock the fisherman to the ground, her wakizashi blade at his throat and her bone boomerang firmly pressed against his chest. Mujōna just stared up at her, apparently bored. "Whoop-de-fuckin'-do, you've pinned me," she congratulated her in a gratingly sarcastic voice. "What are you going to do, kill my host and me with him? Are you really that callous?" Mujōna's voice filled with relish as she watched the arm holding the wakizashi start to tremble, the taijiya's face filling with helpless rage. "What's one human life to Naraku, anyway? At least I'm not in your friend anymore, right? What's one human life...to getting your little brother back, safe and sound?"

At that, Sango's feeble control snapped, and with a howl of "Forgive me!" she drove the point of the wakizashi into the fisherman's throat. However, right before the blade of the wakizashi could puncture the human's throat, his face went slack as his eyes rolled back into his skull. Before Sango could wonder what was going on, a long black snakelike youkai exploded out of his ear, moving up the wakizashi's blade like a thunderbolt and wrapping her body about the taijiya's wrist, the cold slime soaking through the black material of her outfit like it wasn't even there. With a cry of surprise and disgust Sango fell backwards, wildly shaking her arm while Mujōna slithered up her forearm, onto her upper arm, onto her shoulder...

Miroku, who had just been about to help Kirara by launching an attack against Kyūna-shi, heard Sango's cry and whipped about. When he saw Sango batting furiously at the youkai crawling up her shoulder, saw its slimy head glimmering in the pale light of the few stars as it sought out the entrance to her ear...

"GET AWAY FROM MY WOMAN!" With a bellow of rage and hatred, forgetting all about Kirara and Kyūna-shi, the houshi charged forward, Shakujou held over his head like a war-club. He swung the staff in a vicious arc, the rings decorating the top jingling furiously as it whooshed through the air. He missed her head by the barest inch, but the decorative leaves on the very top of the staff caught the edge of Mujōna's body, flipping her off Sango's shoulder and onto the grassy ground. Quick as a wink, Miroku had anchored the slimy youkai beneath his foot, Shakujou raised over his head to perform the final blow.

However, fate had different plans. Kyūna-shi had been fighting Kirara when a tingle of awareness ran down his neck, and he looked over to see the bright golden decorative top of Shakujou glimmering in the pale light as Miroku swung his staff down hard. With a loud screech, the ōkami-youkai shoved the nekomata violently aside, his claws flashing in the moonlight as he swung as hard and fast as he could at the houshi's back. Since Miroku's back was to Kyūna-shi, he did not see the blow coming until far too late. The houshi yelled in shocked pain as Kyūna-shi's claws carved five wounds into his back, forcing him a few paces forward and freeing Mujōna from beneath his foot. The youkai squirmed her way toward Kyūna-shi, fumbling her way blindly through the grass. Swift as the wind, he swept her up in his big paw and ran away, ignoring the two humans and youkai behind him, intent on getting Mujōna to safety.

"Houshi-sama!" Sango cried, also ignoring her retreating enemies in the face of the wounded houshi. "Houshi-sama!"

Miroku groaned softly and peeped up at her with the one eye facing her, the purple iris gleaming gently. "I...I will be fine...Sango," he lied. "It's...nothing serious."

"Nothing serious my ass," Sango muttered, without any real humor. She reached out and touched the deep ruts in his back, felt the blood rushing over her fingers with a faint amount of horror dawning on her face. Then, she shook her head and looked over at the form of her nekomata, who was sniffing at the prone form of Shippou, who looked like he hadn't moved from the spot he had fallen for the entire fight. "Kirara, I know you're probably tired, but _please _try to find a village," she begged, her eyes involuntarily tearing up. The neko nodded and took off into the night.

_'Kami, stop playing with us like this!' _Sango silently shouted at the heavens, her eyes desperate as she put as much pressure as possible on the terrible wounds. _'Just let us live in peace for one damn moment!'_


	33. Forgiveness

The waiting _sucked. _There was no better word in the world that could describe the feeling of _waiting. _

InuYasha spent most of the day moping in Kagome's room, his head resting against her soft pillow, his eyes staring at nothing. His keen ears heard every tick of the pink clock on Kagome's bedside table, and as time went by, they became progressively longer and longer, each small tick seemingly lasting for eons before the next one happened to occur.

Far beneath him on the ground floor, he could hear the sounds of the Higurashi family, bustling about as they also waited for news of how the surgery had gone. At least _they _had the will to move about; _they _did not feel like they would shrivel up and die because of the guilt inside their hearts, like the hanyou did.

Not to mention all the 'what ifs' that were now circling inside his head, magnifying with each tick of the clock that continued to reverberate inside his ears and skull. What if this 'surgery' thing failed? Or it worked, but she didn't pull through? What if-?

The shrill call of the phone downstairs interrupted his mournful train of thought. Rocketing to his feet, InuYasha darted down the stairs, three at a time, and nearly collided with Souta, who was standing near the phone as Mrs. Higurashi picked it up. InuYasha noticed that her hand was trembling slightly.

As Mrs. Higurashi started talking on the phone, Souta turned to face InuYasha, his young face frightened. "Inu-no-niichan, do you think nee-chan is going to be all right?"

InuYasha looked down at Souta, his own face uncertain. "I dunno, kid. I just dunno," he answered, wishing that he wasn't being so damn honest. But he didn't know what was going to happen, and that uncertainty was eating him alive.

"She will be fine," Jii-chan stated, his voice more certain than his aged face. "I've never known my granddaughter to give up so easily! I'm certain she'll pull through with ease."

"You really think so, Jii-chan?" Souta asked, his eyes brightening. The old man nodded, reaching out with one hand and patting the young one's head in what was supposed to be a reassuring manner, but came across as more of a derogatory gesture. InuYasha snorted softly and looked away, his eyes involuntarily landing on the still form of Mrs. Higurashi. He sniffed slightly, and stiffened when he realized that she was crying. Did...could it be...?

"Arigato," she said, her voice choking slightly as she hung up the phone. Souta instantly rushed to her side, his eyes wide.

"Is nee-chan okay, Mama?" he asked anxiously.

Mama Higurashi smiled at him, wiping away her tears as she knelt down and wrapped Souta in a hug. "Yes, dear. The doctors said that the surgery was a success, and she should be waking up in a few hours. She'll probably be a little disoriented when she first wakes up, but the doctor says that's to be expected."

Souta let out a hoarse cheer as he wiped away his own tears. Jii-chan smiled with relief while bragging that 'he knew his granddaughter wouldn't go so easily.' InuYasha felt as though some Kami had decided to replace his knees with that jiggly stuff Kagome called 'jello'; he couldn't seem to stand up straight and wobbled uncertainly. His heart felt a little more easy upon hearing Kagome's mother saying that she would be all right.

_'She's gonna be okay...' _he thought, ears perking up as his eyes brightened. Mama Higurashi noticed this and headed over to the hanyou she had started to view as another son. With a soft smile on her face, she reached out and tweaked one of his pointed dog-ears, laughing softly when InuYasha looked shocked, the ear in question ducking back under his hair.

"See, InuYasha-kun? Kagome will be alright, and it's all because you managed to get her here in time," she told him, her hand moving to rest on his shoulder. "I bet she'll feel the same, once she wakes up."

A little bit of doubt crept back into the hanyou's heart when one of his worries rose to the surface of his mind. "You...you don't think she'll...she'll _hate _me because she won't be able to hear in her right ear anymore, do you?"

Mrs. Higurashi's smile became sad as she squeezed the hanyou's shoulder reassuringly. "InuYasha-kun, I may be Kagome's mother, but that does not mean I can read her mind or know what her emotions are. Kagome is a young woman now, and completely responsible for her own emotions. What she chooses to feel is up to her, and beyond my knowledge." Upon seeing the dejected look on InuYasha's face, she quickly amended with, "But I'm sure she'll forgive you. She's always forgiven you in the past, InuYasha-kun."

"I know," he mumbled, ears drooping slightly. _'But what if she doesn't __**now**__?' _he asked silently.

The hours couldn't pass fast enough for InuYasha; he was waiting again, though this wait didn't feel as bad as before, when Kagome's life was in balance. Now, InuYasha just wanted to go see her and was nearly writhing with impatience at the fact that he had to wait _again. _He stayed downstairs this time, waiting with her family, scarfing down food to make up for the fact that he hadn't eaten for...well, to be honest with himself, the hanyou couldn't remember the last time he'd had a good meal. Mama Higurashi seemed happy to indulge him, though, a kind smile on her face as she gave him seconds and thirds without him even asking her to.

Then, _finally_, it was time to go visit her. InuYasha could barely keep himself under control; he wanted to run out the door and find her, briefly forgetting the fact that he didn't know where Kagome was, and he would most likely get lost if he tried to find her on his own. He barely noticed Mama Higurashi's gentle hands as she managed to force the familiar black baseball cap onto his head, covering his ears and hiding them from view. When the three humans finally made their way out of the door, InuYasha bounded out in front of them, like a dog who had been cooped up for far too long. Mrs. Higurashi smiled at him, happy to see the hanyou so happy after nearly half a day of lethargy. Truth be told, she was surprised to see him so active after he had been so tired, but, then again, the lethargy had probably cured him of the fatigue placed upon him by the long run.

The walk down to the hospital took about half an hour, during which the Higurashis had to work hard to make sure InuYasha stayed on the right track, distracted as he was by the throngs of humanity that populated the streets and the many cars on the road. His nostrils fluttered like wings as he took in one scent after another, his head swiveling so much it look like it was balanced on a pile of ball bearings.

The large white building loomed slowly against the buildings that surrounded it, almost nondescript against the background of steely gray. Mama Higurashi led them through the traffic, making sure InuYasha stayed close to her and didn't get startled by the many ambulances that went screaming past them by keeping a tight hold on his calloused hand. Then, they were at the clear glass doors of the hospital's atrium, pushing past them into the clean cream-colored room beyond.

Once he had entered the atrium, InuYasha recoiled, nostrils flaring as he took in the heavy scents of sickness, injury and often death that was mixed into the clinically clean smell of the hospital. The hanyou had to try very hard not to gag as they slowly made their way through the masses of sick and injured humans sitting on the green chairs in the atrium.

"Excuse me," Mrs. Higurashi called softly to the nurse sitting at the desk. She looked up, her face bored.

"Hai?" she asked, superficially polite.

"I'm here to see Higurashi Kagome. I believe she had surgery done on her today?" The older woman's hands were trembling slightly, though her smile was perfectly straight.

The nurse sighed and began flipping through a book of records sitting in front of her. "Higurashi...Higurashi," she muttered as her eyes scanned the various and sundry reports in front of her. Just when InuYasha had reached the end of his admittedly short patience, the nurse found what she was looking for.

"Hai, she came out of surgery a few hours ago, and the anesthetic should be wearing off any time soon," she recanted, reading the report with the same bored voice. "I'll have to ask the doctor if she can have visitors." The nurse reached over and picked up a plain white phone sitting next to the record book on the desk. She dialed a number and waited, her nails tapping on the desk, still looking bored. Then, she sat up as the person on the other end of the line picked up. "Tanaka-san? I have, uh," she put her hand over the phone and asked, "What are your names?"

"We're the family of Higurashi Kagome," Mrs. Higurashi replied. "I'm Higurashi Karu, her mother, this is Higurashi Souta, her brother, he's Higurashi Takao, her grandfather, and this is InuYasha...her boyfriend." InuYasha's ears twitched under the hat as his face pinked at the mention of the word 'boyfriend.'

The nurse nodded and returned to the phone. "The Higurashi family...plus one," she added, giving InuYasha a once-over with something vaguely like approval shining in her eyes. "They want to see Higurashi Kagome...can she receive visitors right now?" She waited for a little bit, listening to the chatter on the other end of the line with an almost attentive face. "All right then." She hung up without further ado and looked back over at the group clustered in front of her desk. "Tanaka-san says that she'll be waking up in a few minutes and she should be able to receive visitors...she's in 125 on the first floor, two lefts and a right," she directed, pointing behind her.

"Arigato," Mrs. Higurashi said before moving off. InuYasha darted in front of her, falling back a bit before charging forward again. She chuckled softly at the hanyou's antics, once again reminding her of a dog who was eager to proceed forwards, but unsure whether or not to go in front its master. "It's all right, InuYasha-kun," she told him. "We're almost there."

The hanyou snorted, though his frantic pace seemed to calm down somewhat. The numbers next to the doors flashed quickly by as they made their way toward their destination...120...122...124...

"Here it is!" Mama Higurashi announced, facing the small door next to the metal placard reading '125.' Without further ado, InuYasha charged forward, his hand flying to the metal handle, turning it as hard as he could without breaking it and bursting into the room.

The bright sunlight flooding in through the window temporarily blinded the hanyou, since he had gotten used to the fluorescent lights of the hospital. Then, blinking slowly, his superior eyesight adjusted to the natural light in the room.

Kagome's hospital room was painted a light peach color with green trim. A chair with a desk had been placed near the window, with a swivel chair closer to the mechanized bed in the center of the room.

Lying on the bed, bedecked in the pale green of a hospital gown and covered with crisp white sheets, was Kagome. Her face looked a lot less pale than it had been before, though she was still unconscious. An IV dangled on one side of the bed, the translucent sack of fluid already half empty. On the other side of the bed sat a fat heart-rate monitor, which bleeped slowly as it scribbled out the slow pattern of sleep. InuYasha stared at her, his pupils dilating wildly as his heart scrabbled around in his chest. Was she really okay?

Mrs. Higurashi gently pushed her way past the stone-still hanyou and made her way to where her daughter was lying. Snapped out of his daze, the hanyou swiftly darted to Kagome's side, eyes flashing up and down her still form.

When she reached her, Mrs. Higurashi bent down beside her daughter, gently brushing her hair back with her fingers. The way Kagome's head was situated on the pillow meant that the right side of her head faced the open air, and her hair had hidden the surgery site. The area around Kagome's right ear had been partially shaved to expose more of the skin, and black stitches made a half-circle around the back of her ear, showing where the surgeons had cut into her skin to fold back her outer ear, exposing the inner canal and the broken bones that had pierced her skin. By angling their heads, they could see that after about five centimeters or so, her ear canal abruptly ended, closed off by more stitches.

"Oh, my baby," Mama Higurashi whispered, stroking Kagome's silky black locks with the tips of her fingers. "My poor baby..."

Kagome's forehead creased, as though she sensed someone was nearby. She rolled over, eyes roving beneath her eyelids. The Higurashi clan started forward, waiting with bated breath. InuYasha also watched her, his stomach churning with a mixture of anticipation and dread. Would the look in Kagome's eyes when she beheld him be acceptance or hatred?

Slowly, the miko's eyelids fluttered, then opened. Kagome still looked tired, and very confused. "Huh?" she croaked, looking around her with obvious confusion. "Why...why am I back here?" She looked around some more, her eyes filling with bleary alarm. "InuYasha...where's InuYasha?"

At the sound of his name, InuYasha moved forward, looking down at Kagome with obvious worry in his eyes. "Kagome, are you all right?" he asked, his insides writhing with agitation.

Kagome thought for a second before nodding. "Yeah, I...ouch!" Wincing, the miko reached up and touched the stitches on the right side of her head. Her hand stilled on the black stitches, her eyes widening slightly. She looked to her right and realized that her mama was sitting there, a small smile on her face. "Mama..." she began, her voice hesitant. "Why...why can't I hear out of my right ear?"

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes became sad as her other hand came up to hold Kagome's IV free hand. "Kagome...don't be too upset, okay, sweetheart?" she told her, quickly becoming worried. "It's not anybody's fault."

Kagome just looked more confused. "What's not anybody's fault?"

"Well, you were badly hurt. The bones in your ears had been shattered and pushed into the skin of your ear-canal, and to...help you, they had to remove all the bones and seal your ear up with stitches. You...will never hear out of your right ear again." The ominous sentences drifted into the air and hung their like a dark, cold fog as they waited for Kagome's reaction. The miko noticed that InuYasha, in particular, stiffened up so much he looked like he had been made out of stone.

"Okay," she said after some time had passed, her voice reasonable. The Higurashi clan blinked, surprised.

"...Are you sure?" Mama Higurashi asked, unable to keep the blatant surprise out of her voice. "You're not upset or anything?"

Kagome shrugged slightly. "I realized what I was getting into when I first decided to help InuYasha and the others chase after the shikon-no-kakera...I knew I wouldn't get away unmarred, and it would be foolish of me to assume that I would be. I'm not invincible, after all," she stated, a small smile crossing her face. "Not only that, but Mujōna isn't in my head anymore...I'm free!" she said happily. Mama Higurashi couldn't help but to smile at the earnest happiness in her daughter's voice.

"Oh! I'll bet you're thirsty after all that time you spent sleeping!" Mama Higurashi invented, as if she had just realized something. "How about we go grab you something?" (By 'we' she meant herself, Jii-chan and Souta.) InuYasha looked confused, Kagome looked surprised, Souta looked blank and Jii-chan looked astounded.

"But Karu, shouldn't family come first?" the old man demanded, flashing a glance towards InuYasha.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she replied, her voice almost sing-song. "Now, let's go find a water-fountain, or something!" With that, she dragged Jii-chan out of the room, Souta following at a slight hop-skip, only stopping to cry, "Don't argue, you guys!" before the door swung shut.

Kagome looked at InuYasha, her eyes sparkling with warm light. "You brought me here." It was a statement, not a question.

"Yeah," he muttered, shuffling around awkwardly. "I brought ya here. It took me a few hours, and I was really fuckin' tired afterward, but I managed to get you here in time."

A sweet smile spread over Kagome's face as she reached out for InuYasha's hand, though the hanyou was standing too far away for her to reach. "Thank you, InuYasha. You saved my life." The gratitude was evident in her voice. InuYasha smirked slightly as he moved his hand forward, letting her grab it and twine her fingers with his.

"Don't thank me, baka. If I'd just been stronger..." his voice trailed off sadly. The smile slipped off Kagome's face as she tried to push herself up. She did, however, manage to almost pull the hanyou onto her bed when she tried to use her grip on his hand as a support to pull herself up.

"Don't you _dare _start talking about that!" she snarled, making InuYasha's ears flatten underneath his hat. "It wasn't your fault, and you know it!" Her brow furrowed as she thought for a few seconds, then she added, "Now that I think about it, the only person who _really _deserves any blame is Mujōna...and Naraku. _They _are the ones who are responsible for all this, _not _you...and _not _me." Kagome's face was determined now, her eyes bright and the heart-rate monitor bleeping angrily in agreement.

"Still..." InuYasha grumbled, his eyes sad.

"InuYasha, I will tell you right now that if another detrimental remark comes out of your mouth I will not stop saying 'it' until you reach America!" she snapped. InuYasha's mouth snapped shut like a mousetrap, the hanyou glaring sullenly at her. Kagome squeezed his hand, the anger slowly fading from her face. "InuYasha...my koiinu," she laughed softly when InuYasha's face broke out in a mixture of surprise, indignation and tenderness at her use of the endearment, "I could never blame you for anything, InuYasha. I didn't blame you before, and I don't blame you now." Carefully, she lifted the hanyou's hand, uncurling his fingers and placing his palm on her cheek, making a sound like a soft purr when his calloused skin met the soft skin of her face. She wasn't really sure, since she only had one ear to go by now, but she could have sworn she heard the hanyou emit a soft, lilting whine, his fingers gently moving over her skin, like she was something precious.

"You really forgive me?" he finally asked, his golden eyes glittering. Kagome smiled and nodded, her own eyes sincere. A hesitant smile broke slowly over her hanyou's face, like the sun peeping out from behind a thick layer of winter clouds. He moved forward and nuzzled the left side of her face, his long silver hair tickling her cheeks and neck, making her giggle softly. "Thank you, Kagome," he muttered, and she was pretty sure she could feel the heat of his blush.

"You don't have to thank me," she contradicted, moving her face to nuzzle him back.

InuYasha snorted. "Baka. Course I do."

"You really don't."

"Do."

"Don't."

InuYasha pulled back, glaring at her with mock anger. "Oi, stop arguin' with me, wench. I ain't in the mood for this."

Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. "Make me," she taunted softly. The hanyou grinned at her, exposing his fangs for all to see. To any other person on the planet, the grin would have been anywhere from strange to frightening because of those fangs. To Kagome, it was one of the most beautiful things she had ever seen, this rare sight of the inu-hanyou's happiness.

"All right, but only cuz you asked!" he declared, and before she could react, he moved forward and planted a kiss directly on her lips. Though she was, at first, surprised, she returned his kiss eagerly. Slowly, she moved her good hand up his head and deftly flicked the hat off those cute ears of his before seizing one soft triangle with her eager fingers. He growled softly, but did not move away, which delighted Kagome to no end.

If only the stupid heart-rate monitor would stop beeping, she would be in heaven.

* * *

><p>Unbeknownst to the two inside the room, the Higurashi clan was waiting patiently outside the door to Kagome's room, a few cups of water clutched in their hands. Jii-chan was huffing impatiently while Souta kept asking, "Can we go in <em>now, <em>Mama?"

Mama Higurashi shook her head serenely, smiling softly at the scene she was watching through the glass: the hanyou she saw as a son, leaning over her daughter's bed as he kissed her, her hand tangled in his hair as she returned his affections.

"Not quite yet," she told him, her smile spreading. "They're not done talking. Let's just give them a few more minutes."

* * *

><p>koiinu-dear dog (or whatever version of that you would like to interpret it as)<p> 


	34. Starting to Heal

Miroku slowly regained consciousness. As he woke, he noticed three things: One, he was lying on his stomach, his back facing the sky (or ceiling) above him. Two, his back hurt like all hell, switching between a searing pain and an annoying itching sensation. Three, he was ninety-nine percent sure he could hear Sango's soft breathing somewhere nearby as she slept. _'Hmm...I wonder how long I've been asleep?' _he thought, more curious than horrified or embarrassed.

His eyes flickered open, blinking several times to get rid of any lingering exhaustion. Now that the houshi could see, he noticed that he was in what looked suspiciously like Kaede's hut. Had they really been that close to the village? Or had Sango kept on moving until she found the village?

A soft mew sounded from somewhere close to his ear. Turning his head, Miroku saw Kirara sitting next to him, concern flickering in her red eyes.

"Good morning, Kirara," Miroku greeted nonchalantly, as though this were just another regular day and he wasn't lying on his stomach with, now that he thought about it, his robes folded down to expose his torso. "I trust you're feeling better?"

Kirara mewed softly in agreement, then rubbed her head carefully against his shoulder, purring softly as her tails flicked across his face. The houshi smiled as he carefully lifted his cursed hand and stroked the nekomata's creamy fur, glad to see that she was all right.

There was a rustle and a clatter at the entrance to the hut as Kaede entered, moving the reed mat that hung over the door aside and slowly making her way to where the houshi was lying. Miroku moved to the best of his ability, managing to turn his head around so he could look at her. "So I was right then," he mused, almost to himself. "I _am _in your most honorable care, Kaede-sama."

The old woman looked at him, her good eye shining with relief when she beheld Miroku's calm and smiling face. "It is good to see you awake, houshi-sama," she told him, settling down beside him with a slight creak of protest from her old bones. "Sango was very worried about you when she brought you in two nights ago, covered in blood and barely conscious."

Miroku's brow furrowed as he thought back to the fight with Kyūna-shi and Mujōna. He remembered seeing the broad form of the fisherman Mujōna had chosen to inhabit, the much larger form of Kyūna-shi barreling out of the trees...Sango's scream of horror when Mujōna had tried to enter her body...

Even the memory of the near miss had Miroku shuddering slightly, a small growl of anger reverberating in his throat. In that moment, Miroku understood completely why InuYasha had been so hurt and angry. If it had been _him _in that position, as he had almost been, Miroku knew he would have been filled with helpless rage at the fact that his woman had fallen into Naraku's hands, and would have felt extremely guilty for not being able to protect her.

_'But I did, and I accept any consequences of my decision, since I was able to protect Sango,' _he thought, brow smoothing out again as he sighed. "So, how bad is it?" the houshi asked, working hard to make his voice sound barely interested.

Kaede sighed, her eye becoming tired. "Five long and deep wounds stretching from your right shoulder to your left hip. They were bleeding profusely, and we almost lost you when I stitched the wounds closed. Sango was beside herself." When she spoke of the taijiya, the old miko looked to her left, where the woman in question was sleeping, her back resting against the wooden wall. Miroku wanted to see her as well, so, ignoring the protests of the five wounds on his back, the houshi pushed himself up into a sitting position, wincing slightly as the afflicted area burned with pain. Kaede raised her eyebrow at the houshi's actions, but did not comment.

Miroku turned to face Sango, his amethyst eyes concerned, almost as if _she _was the one who had been badly wounded. His eyes found her sitting up against the wall, her eyes closed and her chest rising in the slow, even pattern that signified sleep. Upon closer inspection, the houshi saw that tear-tracks marred the taijiya's otherwise perfect face. Had she been _that _worried about him? Touching.

"Sango," he called quietly as he settled into a more comfortable position. The youkai-taijiya jerked awake, as if Miroku had shouted her name at the top of his lungs. She looked frantically around the hut before her eyes finally landed upon Miroku, sitting up and looking straight at her.

"Houshi-sama, what are you doing?" she moaned angrily. "You'll open your wounds if you sit like that!" Sango lurched forward, hands outstretched to push the houshi back down. However, before her hands could connect with his bandaged chest, Miroku caught them with his own, forcing Sango to a halt.

"I assure you, Sango, I am doing quite well now," he soothed her, his thumbs making gentle circles on the taijiya's surprisingly small hands. Sango blushed and yanked her hands away, mumbling something incoherent under her breath. Miroku smiled at her, his eyes sparkling with glee at the taijiya's suddenly awkward pose. "Really, Sango, we've been together for all this time, and yet you still react this way when I touch you?" he teased.

"No!" Sango said, much too quickly. Then, before Miroku could start having a field day with _that _response, she changed the subject. "I...I just wanted to check if...if you were okay."

Miroku sighed, his smile fading somewhat as his eyes became more serious. "I told you, Sango, I'm all right now. What pain I feel from these wounds is nothing compared to what I _would _be feeling if Mujōna had managed to possess you."

Sango's face went bright red. "Why did you have to go and get yourself hurt again?" she asked, trying hard to keep from crying again. "How do you think _I _feel whenever I have to sew you back together again after you do something like that?"

"I know it hurts you, and I am sorry, believe me," Miroku said, reaching out and taking one of Sango's hands in both of his. "But like I said, I would much rather have these wounds upon my back and have you here to cry for me than to be sitting here, unscathed, with the knowledge that Naraku held you in his hands, protecting his heart and doing his evil deeds." As he spoke, the houshi's eyes hardened until they more resembled true amethysts than human eyes, stonily hiding the fear that had flashed deep within his core when he saw Mujōna slithering towards Sango's ear.

"So why _did _you protect me?" Sango asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. Miroku laughed softly, one hand rising to cup Sango's cheek, ignoring the blush that rose up in her cheeks when he did so.

"You're such a smart girl, dear Sango, yet you miss something so obvious? Sweet Sango, I protected you because I love you. Any wound is worth your safety." As the words left his mouth, Sango went, if possible, even redder. Miroku's smile grew, for he knew that lurking behind Sango's embarrassment were the feelings he knew she had for him. But just when he was leaning forward, his lips just barely managing to caress hers, a shrill voice shattered the moment.

"Uh, Miroku?" Shippou asked, looking up from where he had been coloring, his eyes widening at the sight of Miroku's back. "I don't mean to interrupt, but your back is bleeding."

Sango jerked away from Miroku, her blush radiating heat like the blazing sun outside. "What? Houshi-sama, is he serious?" Horrified, Sango rushed around the houshi, her fears confirmed when she saw three faint lines of red starting to appear on the white bandages. "Houshi-sama, lie back down right now!" she commanded, shoving the houshi onto his belly as she spoke. Miroku glared at Shippou, who was now at eye level with him.

"Thank you _very _much, Shippou," Miroku gritted out, his voice dripping with sarcasm. The nonplussed Shippou moved over to where Kaede was sitting.

"Why is he angry at me, Kaede?" Shippou asked, his eyes confused and slightly hurt. The old woman sighed and looked down at Shippou.

"Shippou, sometimes you _do _need to keep your mouth shut," she told him, not unkindly. Shippou's brow furrowed in thought, as if this idea had never dawned on him before.

"But Miroku was bleeding," he finally said. "Isn't that more important?"

Kaede sighed and shook her head. Maybe the kit was just too young to get it.

* * *

><p>Kagome stayed in the hospital for three more days before she was finally deemed fit enough to return home. During those three days, the hanyou was stuck to her side more firmly than glue, determined not to abandon Kagome again. The miko rather liked the attention she was getting, and when it came time for him to leave, she felt just as disappointed as he looked.<p>

It was a relief to get out of the hospital. Kagome smiled up at the bright sun overhead as it tickled her skin. She was dressed in a pink sweater and some jeans that her mother had brought for her, seeing as she had _apparently _been completely naked when she had been brought to the hospital. InuYasha had explained (while cowering behind the desk as Kagome looked for more things to throw) that Hatsuharu had brought her to them without any clothes on, and he had been kind enough to let her keep his haori until the EMTs gave it back to him. She had calmed down after that, though she was still embarrassed at the idea that InuYasha had more than likely seen her naked.

Even so, nothing could quell the happiness in her chest at the sight of the outside world, crowded as it was with the mass of humanity who resided in Tokyo. She inhaled a huge lungful of air, stretching as she revelled in the freedom of not being hooked up to an IV and a heart-rate monitor.

"Feeling better then, are you?" InuYasha asked her, his voice amused. Mrs. Higurashi, in all her knowledge about how the hanyou and miko felt about each other, had asked that the others not come to escort Kagome home. "InuYasha-kun knows the way," she had told them with sparkling eyes.

"Definitely," she agreed. "My head's a little sore, but that's to be expected, really." As she spoke, her hand reached back to brush the stitches still lining the outer edge of her right ear. The doctor had told her to return in a week or two so he could check up on the progress of her ear. The stitches would dissolve in her body without any ill effects, but he would have to check on her ear-canal to make sure it had healed properly. Kagome had readily agreed, idly wondering if InuYasha would let her stay for a week, or if she'd have to miss the date and come late.

InuYasha looked at her, his eyes shadowed. "Is...is it weird?" he asked, as they started moving forward, heading toward the Higurashi Shrine. "Not being able to hear out of your right ear?"

"A little," Kagome admitted. "But I think I'll get used to it." The miko reached out and grabbed InuYasha's hand, letting her fingers weave through his with a pleased expression on her face when he didn't pull away.

They spent most of the walk in companionable silence, Kagome's hand never releasing InuYasha's. The hanyou pretended to find this annoying, but Kagome knew he didn't mean it. She giggled softly, happy to be alive and with the man she loved so much.

However, she began to see a serious drawback to being deaf in her right ear, one she probably would have spotted earlier if she hadn't been intoxicated on the knowledge that she was alive and Mujōna was gone. It happened while they were crossing the street; Kagome didn't look both ways, confident in the knowledge that the 'walk' sign would keep her from being too grievously injured. However, there was always one eager beaver who didn't think the laws of pedestrian right-of-way applied to him-and there was one today who approached the crosswalk from Kagome's right side, so she didn't hear him coming. The car drew closer, closer, the driver too busy laughing at something his friend in the passenger seat had said to notice-

"WATCH OUT!" In a flash, InuYasha had wrapped his arms about her waist and propelled the confused miko across the street, startling everybody on the sidewalk as he landed gracefully on the pavement, hissing defiance and profanity at the car's receding taillights. Then he rounded on Kagome, who was watching the car drive away with faint shock on her face. "Dammit, Kagome, what were you thinking? Didn't you hear-" InuYasha cut himself off as he realized too late exactly _why _Kagome didn't hear the car coming.

"I'm all right," Kagome said shakily, reaching up. InuYasha grabbed her hand again and pulled her to her feet. "Thank you for saving me."

InuYasha snorted once without any real humor, then pulled her onto his back. "What are you doing, InuYasha?" she cried as he took off, launching himself into the sky like a rocket. She looked down to see a small crowd standing around his liftoff site, staring at the two of them with what could be wide mouthed expressions, though by now Kagome was too far away to see them.

"I am not gonna let that happen again, Kagome," InuYasha snarled. "I've almost lost you too many damn times to count lately, an' I am _fucking tired of it._" After that, Kagome didn't protest the hanyou's actions. She sighed softly and buried her face in InuYasha's long silver mane. Actually, now that she thought about it, she rather preferred traveling on the hanyou's back. She always felt safe in his presence, and now was no different.

They made it back to the Higurashi Shrine in a matter of minutes, thanks to InuYasha's quick speed. Mama Higurashi welcomed them back with warm happiness in her eyes at the sight of her daughter, upright and smiling, a stark contrast to the pale, nearly dead woman InuYasha had brought to the shrine almost four days before. She quickly ushered them inside and put together a quick lunch for them, promising a 'glad-you're-better' party for Kagome, if it pleased her. Kagome's nose wrinkled slightly at the mention of a party.

"Are you going to invite my friends?" she asked, her voice hesitant. What would they say about _this?_ Would they even go so far as to accuse InuYasha of causing the injury? As the suspicion entered her mind, Kagome reached out and took InuYasha's calloused hand again (the hanyou had pretty much inhaled his meal as soon as it had been placed in front of him, so it wasn't like his hands were occupied).

"Not if you don't want them to come, dear," Mama Higurashi replied, her eyes flicking from Kagome to InuYasha and back again. "Maybe a special dinner, then, just you and InuYasha-kun?"

As expected, both parties blushed and looked away, though their hands stayed linked beneath the table. "Um..." Kagome wasn't sure whether she should vehemently deny her mother's idea or stand up and start whooping. Mama Higurashi smiled in understanding and stood up, clearing the dishes away for her shocked daughter and the hanyou beside her.

"You don't have to have a party at all, if you don't want one, Kagome," she said softly. "I just thought you might like to celebrate your getting out of the hospital."

Kagome snapped out of whatever daze she had gone into and gave her mother an apologetic smile. "I appreciate the idea, Mama, but I don't really want to see anybody right now...except for you guys and InuYasha," she amended. The hanyou blushed as she said his name, and she giggled softly. Mama Higurashi nodded and smiled.

"So, a private dinner, then?" she asked, her brown eyes sparkling. Kagome went even redder, but nodded all the same, giggling again when InuYasha muttered something under his breath and fidgeted in his seat.

"It'll be nice to have a break," she murmured to herself, leaning against her hanyou and making a sound halfway between a purr and a sigh. "It's been _so _long since we've been able to just sit back and relax for a while, without having to worry about enemies or whatever." InuYasha was now a bright red color that went rather well with his haori and hakama, but he nodded in agreement with the miko. A break would be rather nice, and it would give Kagome time to heal from her wounds.

_'We gotta take this chance to rest and recuperate,' _he thought as he gently nuzzled his miko's cheek, smiling slightly when she made a little happy noise and cuddled closer to him. _'Kami knows we need it.'_

* * *

><p>Far away from the village of the Bone-Eater's Well, deep in the midst of a dark forest, Kyūna-shi stood, sweat dripping from every strand of black fur on his body, his limbs trembling with exhaustion. The giant youkai had spent the better part of two days running as far away as possible from Naraku's enemies, focusing on getting the slimy black youkai he held in his large paws to safety. This remote forest seemed like a good place to rest, plus Kyūna-shi was too tired to continue onward.<p>

Mujōna wrapped herself tightly about Kyūna-shi's giant fingers, more afraid of falling and being left in a strange place than she would ever like any one to know. The blind youkai was utterly dependent upon Kyūna-shi to get her where she needed to be, and she was grateful that the youkai in question was absolutely and completely devoted to her, otherwise she could have been in _real _trouble.

**"What...what do we do now?" **Kyūna-shi panted, leaning against a tree which creaked and groaned under his immense weight. **"What action do we take?"**

Since Kyūna-shi spoke in thoughts and not words, Mujōna could 'hear' what he was saying. However, she lacked both a mouth and the ability to project thoughts, meaning she couldn't reply. The best she could do was try to find some way to shrug at him.

The ōkami-youkai looked down at Mujōna, his red eyes flickering slightly in the gloomy darkness. **"How can I communicate with you if you can't talk to me?" **he grumbled, more to himself than anything else. Then, an idea seemed to dawn upon him. Slowly, he raised one gigantic paw to his face, looking at the slimy youkai that was curled between his fingers. **"I know you can't talk to me right now, but I need you to at least listen to me," **he told her, brows furrowing together with the effort of dredging up so many words at once. **"I have failed you too many times to count, what with me not being able to stay with you or protect you, or whatever. But now, **_**now **_**we can be together forever, and they will never separate us again!" **With that, Kyūna-shi moved his giant paw to one of his pointed ears and closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable to happen.

As he expected, Mujōna stretched herself out cautiously, testing the area around her until she found the entrance to the youkai's ear. As soon as she felt the opening beneath her body, she flashed down the hole, making Kyūna-shi wince slightly as the end of her tail disappeared into his ear with a small _pop. _A few seconds passed during which he waited with bated breath, his fists resting against the ground, eyes closed as he waited. Then-

_Why did you let me possess you, Ky__ūna-shi__? _The soft 'voice' coming from the back of his mind made Kyūna-shi's stomach flip-flop, his muzzle stretching in a wide grin.

**"Well, you needed a body to use as a shield, and I need to talk to you," **he reasoned. **"Two birds with one stone, I believe the saying goes."**

_I don't know...if you get hurt..._

The youkai merely shrugged his massive shoulders. **"No-one can hurt me now."**

There was a brief silence, during which Kyūna-shi reached up to scratch his spider-scar, frowning as the itch just grew more persistent. Then, Mujōna 'spoke' again, her voice almost wary. _You...have shikon-no-kakera in your body._

The giant nodded proudly, flexing his regained arm. **"Naraku-sama entrusted it to me so that I could perform my duties once more. I shall not fail him again!"**

Mujōna made a little 'mmm' of assent, but in the back of her mind, her thoughts were racing. Kyūna-shi had _never _referred to Naraku with such reverence before, nor had he been so concerned with filling out his orders. If the shard was from him...then there was no doubt in her mind that Naraku was using it to control Kyūna-shi, if only a little. After all, that was how he controlled his human whelp, Kohaku. Why wouldn't it work on Kyūna-shi?

_'This could be bad,' _she thought to herself. _'But there's nothing I can do about it right now. I'll just ride along, and if anything happens, I'll use all my power to try to stop it.'_

Kyūna-shi, who had pretty much recovered from his run by now (thanks in part to the power of the shikon-no-kakera) decided that he was bored of standing around and promptly started moving, jogging swiftly in no particular direction. Kyūna-shi didn't care about whatever future in front of him; he would be ready for it, no matter what shape it took.

* * *

><p><em>AN: The extreme roughness of this week is the main reason I was unable to post this chapter until tonight. Sorry for the delay and all. =P_


	35. Promises of Forever

It was the start of a new day. The sun had barely risen in the east, the pink glow at the edge of the horizon the only indication that daylight was coming. Tired of sitting around and doing nothing for three days straight, Miroku decided to leave the confines of Kaede's hut and stretch his legs for a little while. The houshi walked as swiftly as his still-wounded back allowed him, not stopping until he was deep in InuYasha's Forest, the ground crunching slightly as he tromped over dead branches and leaves. He leaned against a nearby tree and took in a lungful of air, grateful to be out of the stuffy confines of the hut. It wasn't that he didn't like any of the people in the hut-because he did-it was just that Miroku had been a rover for far too long to feel comfortable staying in one place for any length of time. Sooner or later his restless spirit would drive him on his endless quest to defeat Naraku and lift the curse that had plagued his family for over fifty years.

_'Now is not the time to be resting,' _Miroku thought, staring up at the light gray sky, brightening with the promise of dawn on the gently blowing breeze. _'Especially not since we know Ky__ūna-shi__ and Muj__ōna__ are on the move again. If they start slaughtering people while we sit here unprepared...' _Miroku shuddered slightly at the thought. _'...No. Too many people have died by their hands already. I don't want any more casualties.'_

Unconsciously, his left hand started to trace the blue beads encircling the wrist of his cursed hand, feeling the smooth contours of each and every one pass beneath his fingers. _'If we manage to kill Muj__ōna__...then my curse will be lifted once and for all. I will be free to live my life without the shadow of imminent death on the horizon.'_

The houshi's thoughts slowly turned to what he would do after he was free of his curse. Unbidden, the image of Sango's sleeping face swam to the forefront of his thoughts, taunting him with its simple beauty. It had been a long time since her path and his had intersected, yet he never managed to stop feeling a little dazed at the emotions that coursed through his body whenever he thought of her. Sympathy when she was sad, jealousy when another man glanced approvingly in her direction, protectiveness when she was attacked...love. Love, simply and truly. When Miroku had told Sango that he had loved her, he had been telling the utmost of truths. Now, how to make her believe it?

"Houshi-sama? Houshi-sama!" Miroku was jerked out of his reverie as Sango's call echoed through the forest, tinged with worry as the sound of breaking branches started making itself known to the houshi. Apparently, Sango had woken up and seen that he wasn't there. Naturally, this would cause her to worry about him, which would lead to her searching for him.

"I'm over here, Sango," he called back, his voice bouncing off the trees as it reverberated back to her. There was a slight pause, then the frantic rustling of foliage told the houshi that the taijiya was making a beeline toward him. A few seconds later, Sango burst through the plants surrounding the tree Miroku had chosen to lean against. She was huffing and blowing like a bellows, her face red with rage.

"You baka houshi!" she bellowed, lurching forwards and seizing Miroku by the front of his robes, which he had done up shortly before leaving the hut. "You're still not healed yet; why did you go outside?"

Miroku smiled serenely at Sango, his amethyst eyes sparkling slightly. "My dear Sango, these wounds aren't as bad as you make them out to be. Thanks to Kaede-sama's excellent care, I am feeling much better than I was before. There is really no need to worry about me."

Sango's face went, if possible, even redder as she released Miroku and whirled away, hiding her face from view. "I-I wasn't worried," she denied weakly.

Miroku laughed softly as he placed one hand on Sango's shoulder. "Sometimes, dear Sango, you are just as defensive as InuYasha when it comes to your feelings."

Sango shuddered slightly when his hand made contact with his shoulder, but other than that she did not react. Miroku took this as a good sign to continue. "A few days ago I confessed my love to you, Sango...and yet you said nothing." His brow furrowed slightly as one of his least favorite possibilities bubbled up to the forefront of his thoughts. "Does that mean...that you do not return my feelings? I would...accept that, if it meant that you would be happy with someone else, dear Sango." Miroku let his hand drop away from Sango's shoulder, backing away from her, though his heart throbbed painfully with every motion he made. _'Has it always been so?'_ he wondered. _'Does thinking about her with another man always make me so sad?'_ The houshi thought back to the time when the lord of a castle had proposed marriage to Sango, professing to have loved her since his childhood days. Miroku had said that he wanted Sango to be happy, which was true, but he had also nursed a quiet sense of hurt all throughout that particular adventure. So maybe thinking about her with another man _had _always affected him this way.

"That's _NOT _it!" Sango shouted, whirling around unexpectedly, her eyes blazing with wrath. Miroku's thoughts instantly screeched to a halt as a pang of fear throbbed in his heart. When Sango was mad, the houshi was usually in for a world of pain. But...

"So...what is it then, dear Sango, that keeps you from returning my feelings?" he asked, his eyes sad. Sango's bottom lip trembled slightly when she looked into Miroku's deep amethyst eyes and saw the eternal loneliness that always lurked beneath the houshi's carefree attitude, the loneliness caused by living his whole life under the shadow of the Kazaana's curse and the knowledge that one day, out of the blue, he would die a horrible death.

"I...I..." Suddenly, the taijiya couldn't find the words she needed, _wanted _to say. She wanted to alleviate that horrible loneliness in his eyes, but couldn't find the words. _'Dammit! What can I say?' _she thought wildly.

Miroku cocked his head at her, eyes sparkling as he regarded the blushing woman in front of him. "Why are you afraid, Sango?"

Sango jerked as if the houshi's words had delivered an electric shock to her body. "What? Me, afraid?" she squawked, blinking several times as if she had been blinded by a bright light.

"You see, I thought about a lot of possibilities when I realized that I loved you, but you kept your distance," the houshi continued, ignoring Sango's barely audible squeaks of protest. "The first I have told you already. The second I only just recently thought of, for which I apologize. If I truly love you, I should have more faith in your feelings." The houshi bowed slightly, never averting his eyes from hers. She mumbled something and shifted from foot to foot, but she didn't look away either.

"I think you're afraid to love me because of what happened at the village of the youkai-taijiya...what is still happening to Kohaku," he told her, his voice soft. "The situation with Kagome-sama isn't helping you either, I know that much. So...is this the reason you won't love me, Sango?"

Sango looked away now, her blush receding as her lovely brown eyes teared up. "I...If something happened to you, houshi-sama, I don't know what I would do. My people have died, my father's dead, I don't know where Kohaku is and now Kagome-chan might be going the same way as the rest of them." As the words tumbled out of Sango's mouth, her tears gathered in her eyes until the dam holding them back burst, sending two trails of diamond-bright liquid pouring down her face. "I...I just don't...I don't want..." Sango tried to say, but she found a large mass slowly moving up her throat, blocking off her words just when she needed to say them. She reached up and scrubbed wildly at her eyes, trying to stop the damn tears that still trailed down her face.

Miroku smiled softly and reached forward, seizing Sango's shoulders with both hand and pulling her gently against his chest, letting her face nestle in his dark robes. Not only did Sango _not _object, she threw her arms around his neck as she started sobbing, clinging to him like he was the only piece of driftwood in the tumultuous sea that was her heart and the emotions she tried so hard to contain within herself.

"Ah, dear Sango," the houshi sighed, letting one hand rise to stroke her soft hair, "How I wish you didn't ever have to cry." He thought for a second, feeling the taijiya's sobs slowing slightly as she calmed down, her breathing starting to even out. Then, when her sobs had reduced into small hiccups, he continued. "It's my fondest wish that I could try to protect what happiness you have...that I could try to give you what you lost so long ago-a home." The houshi's voice was quiet, but Sango heard every word as if he had shouted them.

"If...if you want to do that...then why do you flirt with anybody that has breasts and a pretty face?" Sango asked, a little suspicion creeping into her tone. Miroku just laughed and shook his head.

"Partially because that _is _the way I have lived my life until I met you, and partially because I wanted you to notice me...and I think it worked if it bothers you so much, don't you think?" The houshi's eyebrows waggled up and down suggestively as he spoke, the familiar perverted gleam entering his deep amethyst eyes when he did so.

"You-!" Sango glared at him, aware that a great weight was lifting off her chest as time went by. She was feeling better already and nothing significant had happened. Idly, she wondered if this was because she had told Miroku about her feelings, or, rather, Miroku had guessed about her feelings, and she had confirmed his suspicions.

Then, her thoughts rushed back to Earth with a bump as Miroku gently grabbed her chin, locking his eyes with hers. Her heart started pounding again, blood thrumming through her veins, mixing with adrenalin and driving her thought processes into absolute insanity. How could he _do _this to her?

"Dear Sango, what is your answer to my question?" he asked, all trace of teasing and humor gone now, replaced by seriousness and conviction. "Will you let me try to protect your happiness and give back what you have lost?"

Sango blinked, her breathing coming in faster and faster gulps of oxygen. "Is...are you...was that a proposal?" she managed to choke out, tears pricking at her eyes again, though the feelings in her heart were much different now.

Miroku's mouth quirked up into a small smile as his eyes positively glowed. "If that is what you want it to be, Sango," he told her, a slight laugh just barely detectable in his voice.

Sango gave a small gasp, then, abruptly, she started crying again. Later on, Miroku would feel rather proud of himself for not freaking out and demanding to know what was wrong (like, say, a certain hanyou friend of his?) and instead pulled Sango's face closer to his own, closing out the rest of the world and focusing on the woman in his arms. "So, what _is _your answer, Sango?" he asked, striving to sound just politely interested.

"Y-y-Yes!" Sango blubbered, smiling through her tears and hugging the houshi even tighter to her. "I-I-I'll stay with you, houshi-sama!"

Miroku shook his head, his eyes becoming just a tiny bit mocking. "Now, now, dear Sango, if we are going to be together, you're going to have to start calling me by my name, aren't you?" As he spoke, Miroku gradually drew closer and closer to Sango's face until the tips of their noses touched, his breath tickling her lips. Sango's teary eyes widened, her heart pounding impossibly fast in her chest.

"Okay...Miroku," she managed. The smile that dawned on the houshi's face when she said his name filled her with the most unfamiliar warmth, but it sure felt good.

"I promise you, dear Sango...you won't regret choosing me."

Then his lips were on hers and nothing else in the world mattered. His cursed hand pulled her face closer to his own, enjoying the feel of his woman's lips beneath his own, loving the fact that she was kissing him back.

For the cursed man who had spent his life studying Buddhism, this moment was truly his Nirvana, the moment where good, love and peace walk hand in hand and everything turns out all right in the end. As long as Sango stayed by him, Miroku knew, for the first time in his life, that everything just might go right in the end.

* * *

><p>"I can't eat another bite," Kagome complained, pushing the tray of goodies her mom had made for her as far away from her as possible. "I think Mama made enough food to feed an army."<p>

"No fuckin' kiddin'," InuYasha grumbled. The hanyou was lying on Kagome's bed, looking a little worse for the wear. "Urrrgh... I feel fuckin' awful..."

"No wonder," Kagome chided, walking over to where his own tray of food was lying. "I couldn't eat a quarter of all this food, and you went and scarfed half of it! I wouldn't be surprised if it took you a year to digest all of it!"

InuYasha gave a weak snort. "It won't take me a year," he grumbled.

Kagome turned around, her brow furrowing slightly. "What did you say?" she asked.

Some of the hanyou's stomach problems were forgotten as a small pang of guilt touched his heart. Kagome's right ear had healed about a week before, the stitches slowly dissolving as if they had never been. She had visited the doctor again (InuYasha was prohibited from following her, something that had _really _pissed him off) but when she came back, she told him that her ear was mostly healed, but not to push herself too much, just in case. (Upon hearing this news, Mama Higurashi had put together their little feast, leading back to the couple in Kagome's bedroom with trays loaded with food, trying hard not to focus on their overfull stomachs.)

"I'm sorry, Kagome," InuYasha said quietly, but loud enough for Kagome's good ear to catch. Kagome looked at him, her eyes becoming stern.

"What have I told you about that, InuYasha?" she scolded, walking over to the bed and sitting down on it. The ailing hanyou groaned slightly as his stomach protested the bed's small movements.

"...Not to keep blaming myself," he mumbled, rolling over onto his back to see if that might help his stomach calm down. _('Why the fuck does it hurt so much?' _he wondered.)

"Exactly. I told you I forgive you, and that you should forgive yourself," she told him, reaching out and taking one of his hands with both of her own. The hanyou blushed, his too-full stomach suddenly shifting to the very back of his mind.

"How can you forgive me so easily, though?" he asked, sitting up and looking at her incredulously. "You can't hear out of your right ear anymore, and-"

Kagome shushed him by placing her free index finger on his lips. "Didn't you hear what I said back in the hospital? I knew that I might get hurt if I went to the Sengoku jidai with you, but I accepted it. I'm just relieved that we were able to get Mujōna out of my head without killing me. _That _would have been a lot worse than me being halfway deaf, after all." Kagome smiled at InuYasha, who managed to smirk back at her. "And as to how I can forgive you so easily-I love you, baka! I've loved you for so long I forgot when I started loving you! That's why I can always forgive you, and I _will _always forgive you. Anyway, I know it isn't your fault. You've been trying _so _hard to help me through all this-how could I blame you for that?"

By the end of Kagome's little speech, InuYasha's face matched his haori, though he did look rather pleased. "You said you love me," he stated, a little dumbfounded.

Kagome giggled softly at the rather dopey smile that was stretching across her hanyou's face, loving the soft golden glow in his usually hard eyes. "Hai," she agreed. "I thought it was about time that I told you, since I didn't back when _you _told _me _that you loved me."

Some of the goofiness faded from InuYasha's face as he remembered that scene by the fire after he had found her surrounded by crows, remembered how she had sobbed brokenly afterward, since she didn't herself to be worthy of him anymore. "You didn't have to," he told her. "I, uh, sorta _knew _already."

Kagome, instead of replying right away, reached out and wrapped her arm around InuYasha's waist, drawing herself closer to him and sighing contentedly. She felt his heart speed up against her cheek, ramming wildly into the wall of his chest as he slowly wrapped his arms around her. "It doesn't matter if you knew already," she said. "What matters is that I told you and now you know for sure."

"S'pose that's true," the hanyou mumbled. His heart was thudding so hard and fast that he thought it was going to burst out of his chest and flop out onto the ground. Not that he would have cared if it did; at that moment, he wouldn't have cared if the world had started to end right then and there-all that mattered was the petite woman in his arms. For all he was concerned about, the rest of the world could go to Hell.

After a fashion, Kagome spoke up again. "InuYasha, I've been thinking..."

"What?" InuYasha's voice sounded defensive, and when she looked up, she saw his ears vanish into his hair, as if locking down for impact. Kagome's brow furrowed as she pulled away from InuYasha's chest, though she kept his arms about her body.

"Why do you always get so nervous when I say something like that?" she asked sadly. "I already told you that I'm not going to leave you. Why don't you believe me?" As she spoke, a tear oozed out of her eye and trailed down her cheek.

Unsurprisingly, the hanyou freaked. "Um-fuck-Kagome, don't cry!" he shouted, ears rocketing up as his hands moved to her shoulders, his eyes becoming frantic. "I-It's not that I don't believe you about you staying with me, or...or...or..."

Kagome cocked her head at him, her eyes becoming curious. "Or what?"

"Never mind," he muttered. "Just...what were you gonna say?"

Kagome shook her head, a small smile forming on her face. "I'm thinking about dropping out of school and staying in the Sengoku jidai permanently, if you'll have me."

For a few seconds, InuYasha just gawked at her. His facial expression suggested that Kagome had just expressed a desire to travel to the moon on her bike. The miko thought he looked like he had just blown a few fuses in his head. "Um...InuYasha?" she asked, her brow furrowing with worry. "Are you all right?"

"You...you...you..." InuYasha's mind felt like it had just melted into a big useless pile of glop. She wanted to leave her school, that place that always drew her back to the Heisei jidai-_for him? _But...but...but...

"Are...are you sure that's what you want?" he finally managed to ask, his voice a dull croak of surprise. Kagome smiled radiantly at him, destroying the rest of his thought processes with little effort.

"I thought about it for a long time, both while I was in the hospital and while I was at home. For the longest time, I've been just floundering to succeed in school, barely passing every class. My friends are all okay, but they don't really seem to care much anymore." Kagome looked a little sad about this, prompting the practically brain-dead hanyou to lean forward and nuzzle her cheek. She giggled softly and raised a hand to hold his head in place, making a sound like a purr when he didn't move away.

"It's okay, koiinu...I can't really say I miss them that much. As time went by, I found myself enjoying their company less and less. They're nice and all, but pretty shallow." InuYasha snorted softly at Kagome's assessment of her three Heisei jidai friends. He'd _always _thought of them that way.

"What about staying with me forever?" he asked, dreading the answer and mentally kicking himself for asking it. "Did you think about that?"

Kagome made a very unladylike snort. "Of _course _I did, baka! I've been thinking about that since I realized I loved you! All children leave home eventually, and some just leave earlier than others do. I think I'm ready to leave home now...there's not really that much I have in common with it any more."

The hanyou glanced around at the soft pink walls, a strange heat pulsing through his body along with his blood. "But...won't you miss all this?" he asked, gesturing to the pink walls and furniture.

Kagome sighed. "For a while, but I think I'll get used to it. Don't worry, I think you're quite worth it."

InuYasha blushed again, but started looking more happy and less fearful. "You'd do that...for me," he said, sounding like he didn't quite believe it. Kagome laughed again.

"Yes, already!" she giggled. Then, before he could say anything else, she stretched up and planted a soft kiss right on his surprised lips. For a few seconds, he was too surprised to really do anything except just sit there and be shocked. Then, when his thoughts and body finally reconnected, his arms wrapped around her, twice as tightly as they had before. He returned her affections full force, causing a small 'eep!' of shock to rise out of her throat. But she quickly got over her shock and relaxed against him, one hand rising to play with his ears, the other wrapping itself firmly around his red-clad waist. He growled slightly against her lips and let one of his own hands move from about her body to the right side of her face, his thumb gently circling her recently healed ear.

_'Maybe you __**are **__deaf in your right ear, Kagome,' _he thought fondly, _'but you're still perfect to me.'_

* * *

><p><em>AN: Oookay, I'm totally not doing what I'm supposed to be doing right now, but when I got this chapter in my head, I couldn't focus on anything else until I got it out here!_

_Sorry for the super late update. =P  
><em>


	36. The Last Day

For the sixth time that morning, InuYasha glanced up at the sky and growled, his head moving back to the large white building that was Kagome's school. "Can't she go any faster?" he grumped.

"Patience, InuYasha-kun," Mama Higurashi chided, her voice gentle. "In order to drop out of school, Kagome has to take a test, and she needs to concentrate all of her knowledge on passing that test."

InuYasha looked at Mrs. Higurashi, his eyes suddenly unsure. "You...do you really approve of what Kagome's doing?" he asked.

Mama Higurashi smiled, though her eyes were a little sad. "I do wish she could have graduated from high school, but from the way I see it, this is what Kagome wanted to do, and I'm not going to stand in the way of what she wants. Besides, when we talked about it last night, she made it very clear that she feels more at home with you in the Sengoku jidai than she does here with us." Even though he had already heard the last part of Mrs. Higurashi's little speech from Kagome, InuYasha still flushed bright red when he heard it spoken aloud. The hanyou just couldn't believe his luck. The idea that someone perfect like Kagome would ever choose a homeless, penniless inu-hanyou like him to live their life with was mind-boggling, exhilarating and shocking all at the same time.

Then, just when his boredom was reaching its peak, a gentle breeze blew at the back of his head, carrying with it her familiar, sweet and wonderful scent. InuYasha whipped around, trying very hard not to look excited and failing miserably. Kagome strode through the school's empty courtyard, her hair flowing in the breeze like water-weeds in a stream, her face untroubled as it always was after she took her tests. When her eyes found InuYasha, a huge smile dawned on her face, as brilliant as the setting sun.

"InuYasha!" The miko sounded rather surprised to see her hanyou standing there, but seemed to get over it soon enough. She ran over to him, nearly bowling him over when she slammed into his chest. "What're you doing here?"

"Your mother brought me here," he mumbled, blushing right to the tips of his ears (concealed by the black baseball cap, as they always were when he went out in the Heisei jidai).

"Mama did?" Kagome asked, lifting her face from his chest and peering around him to see her mother standing behind InuYasha, her face creased in a smile as radiant as her daughter's. "Hi, Mama," she greeted, feeling a little sheepish for not noticing her.

"Hello, dear," Mama Higurashi replied, moving forward so that she and Kagome were almost face to face. "How was your test?"

"Better than I thought it would be," Kagome answered. "The teacher kept giving me dirty looks, though."

InuYasha stiffened slightly. "Why?" he growled. If anyone mistreated his Kagome...

"Teachers don't like to see students giving up, and there's no need to start growling, InuYasha," Kagome reprimanded, pulling away from the hanyou to fix him with a stern glare. "He was just concerned for my future, that's all."

InuYasha gave a "Feh!" and turned away, but he did seem to be a little less annoyed. Kagome turned and walked toward her mother, her smile drifting back over her face.

"Can we go home now, Mama? I want to have a few last moments in my room before I leave." Kagome's voice had a touch of wistfulness in it, as the reality of her last few moments of truly _living _in her home finally dawned upon her. Her mama's only reply was a small smile and a short nod. Then, she turned around and started the walk back home. Kagome paused a moment so she could grab her hanyou's hand, then followed after her mother, InuYasha trailing behind her like an obedient puppy.

The walk back to the shrine was the strangest Kagome had ever taken. It was like the world around her had gone silent, receding into the distant background to a place where Kagome couldn't touch it. When she arrived at the steps to the shrine, she spent a few minutes just looking up at the place she had once called home. Then, still in the same trance-like state she had been in for the entire walk, the miko mounted the stairs, slowly walked across the courtyard, entered her house and made her way to her room.

It was a bittersweet moment, those last few minutes Kagome spent in her room, looking at all of the things she would be leaving behind. Bitter because it was hard for her to leave home, sweet because she knew in her heart that this was the right thing to do. All of the things that happened to her in the Sengoku jidai-Mujōna aside-had changed her into someone who didn't belong in this rather shallow era of cell-phones, computers and other technologies. No, Kagome didn't regret her decision to leave the Heisei jidai.

That didn't make it any less difficult, though.

"You all right?" InuYasha asked, for probably the twelfth time since entering her room. He was sitting on her bed, watching as his miko moved around, touching everything in her room with the tips of her fingers, like they would disintegrate if she was too rough. His eyes were veiled, hidden behind his black lashes.

Kagome turned to him, her eyes a little too bright, but her smile perfectly natural. "I'll be fine," she told him, crossing over to where he was sitting and flopping down in his lap, giggling when his eyes widened in surprise. "Leaving your home to strike out on your own is always a hard thing to do, InuYasha," she stated. "But it's time. I can't stay here any more."

InuYasha blinked at her, the dumbfounded look returning to his face. "Y'know, I _still _can't believe-" he started, but Kagome interrupted him.

"-that I'm doing this for you. I know, baka!" Kagome reached out and tweaked one of InuYasha's ears, smiling softly when the hanyou emitted a growl and leaned into her touch, telling her without words that he liked having his ears rubbed. "If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times: I love you! And it wasn't like I was going to stay here forever anyway. I just didn't expect to...you know...go live in another time altogether."

The contented look that had come over InuYasha's face when Kagome had rubbed his ears faded away, replaced by an unusually thoughtful expression. "K'gome...if leaving hurts ya...then maybe _I_ could live _here._"

Kagome looked at him as though leeks had suddenly sprouted out of his ears. "InuYasha, you hate it here," she stated quietly.

InuYasha winced, but tried to put on a brave face. "It...it ain't so bad."

Kagome's brows pulled together as she studied the inu-hanyou's attempt at a nonchalant expression. "Inu, you can't go outside without wearing a hat, the smells nearly always make you sick, you jump every time a car or truck drives past you while walking down the street, and you positively _loathe _all the buildings and hot pavement." Kagome reached out and ran her fingers through his silver bangs, watching the moonlight-colored strands as they passed over the palm of her hand. "Even if that _wasn't _an issue, there's no way you could conform to the Heisei jidai. The world has evolved to the point where you _have _to have money to survive, and the only way to have money is to get a good job, and the only way to get a good job is to have gone to school." InuYasha's brow furrowed as each word left Kagome's mouth, his expression becoming more and more serious. Was _this _why she had tried so hard at her school? Damn, he'd had no idea that the Heisei jidai was so..._harsh _to the unlearned.

"All right, already, I get yer point," he growled. "You really wanna do this?"

Kagome nodded, her smile coming back as she leaned down to nuzzle foreheads with her hanyou. "Yes," she said simply. He smirked back at her, a sound like a soft purr starting up in his throat as his golden eyes drifted shut. Amazing, really, that someone would love him enough to do something like this.

Then again, Kagome _had _always been able to surprise him.

* * *

><p>The large, grassy field was strangely quiet, free from all the noises and movements that the life-filled forests usually contained. Kikyou found it rather pleasing, as she preferred the silence. Her shinidamachuu swarmed around her, some holding souls in their spindly legs, others just quietly soaring beside her, ready for her orders, whenever they might come. The undead miko's brow was slightly furrowed as she drew to a stop in the middle of the field, her faithful youkai servants twisting around her body as her thoughts ran wild.<p>

_'It has been more than a week already...yet I know that Naraku has not been purged from this land. But, even though I have searched far and wide for Kagome's aura, I haven't found a trace of it left in Nippon.' _Kikyou looked up at the starry sky overhead, lost in her thoughts, not seeing the bodies of the shinidamachuu as they swirled and looped, ducking and weaving around each other, waiting patiently for their mistress to start moving again. _'Where could she have gone? What could have happened between the time I left and this moment?'_

A small pang of pain touched the place where Kikyou's heart would have been when she remembered that early morning in the clearing; when InuYasha had embraced Kagome, kissed her and told her that the love that he and Kikyou had shared so long ago was dust in the wind now. Regardless of whether or not it was true, it still hurt the long-dead miko to know that the reason she had died-her love for InuYasha-had become unrequited and, effectively, pointless.

_'Kagome has truly changed him,' _she thought, almost bitterly. _'InuYasha is no longer the man I once knew. He's changed so-'_

**"Foolish miko...standing around with your guard down in the middle of an open field. Who would have guessed that the great Kikyou would make such a mistake?"**

Without warning, Kikyou was jerked off her feet and yanked high into the air, her shinidamachuu scrambling and reforming in a mad wave as the giant black paws that came seemingly out of nowhere disrupted their intricate dance and tore two of their brethren apart. Kikyou cursed herself for letting her guard down, but resigned herself to captivity...for the time being. Let this creature reveal some of its secrets, and then she would kill it.

Slowly, the massive fingers of the paw carefully worked the miko's clay body, shifting her around until she faced two huge red eyes, glowing like bright coals in the darkness, their bloody light illuminating a gaping muzzle and dripping, yellowish fangs.

"You...you must be the one known as Kyūna-shi," she stated, her voice perfectly calm. Kyūna-shi chuckled softly, eying the miko with a strained attempt at a barely interested expression. She could see the thinly veiled excitement in the giant's eyes.

**"I am not surprised that you know me...Muj****ōna**** told me that she vaguely remembered your brief affiliation with InuYasha's fold. What **_**does **_**surprise me is why you would walk around with your guard down if you know about the things that go bump in the night." **Kyūna-shi chuckled a little as he studied the undead miko in his paw. **"You are stupider than InuYasha in that respect...and that's saying something."**

A flicker of annoyance briefly flashed over Kikyou's face. "Do not speak ill of InuYasha," she warned him.

**"Or what? You'll kill me?" **Kyūna-shi taunted. **"With what? Your bow and arrows?" **As he spoke, the giant youkai held up his other paw, which contained said longbow and arrows. **"Already useless." **With a careless motion of his paw, Kyūna-shi crushed the bow and arrows into useless pieces, letting them fall through his fingers and hit the grassy ground beneath his huge foot-paws. Kikyou just blinked, as if she had watched something about as interesting as a fly being swatted.

"I am not intimidated by you, youkai," she told him. "I am much stronger than a regular human."

Kyūna-shi leered at her. **"Since when have **_**you **_**been a regular human, miko? From what I have heard about you, nobody has **_**ever **_**considered you a regular human...not even when you were **_**alive.**_**" **Kyūna-shi guffawed again, his eyes glinting with malice. **"Is that why you took in the Shikon-no-Tama? Because if you had it, you could wish for a normal life? How pathetic you are, Kikyou! How pathetic **_**each **_**and **_**every **_**human who has ever walked this Earth is!"**

Kikyou glared at him, her anger becoming more defined on her perfect face, reminiscent of the woman Urasue had resurrected all those months ago, filled with the bitterness and malice that her death and InuYasha's 'betrayal' had tainted her heart with. "How _dare _you speak of such private matters," she hissed, her teeth bared in the manner of a wild animal's snarl. "_How DARE you!_"

Kyūna-shi laughed again. **"Such **_**anger **_**in one so pure, miko...it makes me so **_**happy **_**to see...makes me wonder if you humans might have some redeeming qualities after all."**

Some of the undead woman's anger faded away when she realized that Kyūna-shi's 'voice' sounded...strange. Like it was two voices melded into one, rather than just Kyūna-shi's voice. Kikyou's brow furrowed in though, wondering what could make it so different...

A dark gleam caught her eyes just then, making her head whip around in a motion that would have cricked her neck had she been alive. The murky gleam of a tainted shikon-no-kakera could be glimpsed through the dark fur of Kyūna-shi's shoulder, shining with increasing darkness with every word that Kyūna-shi uttered.

"You...possess shikon-no-kakera," she said, her voice barely a whisper.

Kyūna-shi grinned at her, his great face coming closer to hers, his fangs dripping warm and wet dribble onto her white haori. Kikyou did not bend or cower; she simply stared back into his eyes, unafraid. **"How astute of you to notice, miko. Yes, I **_**do **_**have shikon-no-kakera...a generous gift from Naraku-sama so that I could perform my duties more effectively-and what better way to prove myself to him than to murder the woman he killed fifty years ago?"**

Kikyou straightened up in Kyūna-shi's paw, her gaze icy. "I am not so easy to kill, youkai!" With a deep breath (which was unnecessary, but it made her feel better) Kikyou closed her eyes and started focusing on purifying Kyūna-shi's paw. Seconds later, a sharp yell told her she had done the job correctly. Kyūna-shi screamed and let her go, sending the miko tumbling to the ground. Kikyou hit the grassy ground with enough force to make her teeth rattle, listening to the ōkami-youkai's roars of pain as he nursed his burning paw, screeching his discomfort to the night sky.

Then, something strange happened. Kyūna-shi fell over, like he was a tree that had just been cut down. His large form hit the field's floor with a great _BOOM _that reverberated in the surrounding area, sending some birds flying for cover and nearly making Kikyou fall to the ground again. Her brow furrowed in slight confusion. She hadn't even dealt the fatal blow yet; why would the ōkami have fallen over?

Then, an evil aura rose up around her, different from the ōkami-youkai's somehow, more malevolent. Kikyou held her hands in front of her face, ready to purify whatever came at her.

She never got the chance.

The slimy black body of Mujōna streaked through the grass and struck the miko's shoulder like a serpent, sinking her pointed head into the canal of her ear without expending any effort at all. Kikyou stiffened. The movement of the youkai through her clay body didn't hurt her, but the evil reaching down to the depths of her soul made her feel colder than she thought possible. Her brow furrowed and teeth clenched, she started directing all of her power within her own body, trying hard to exorcise the youkai from within herself. She could feel it working, feel the evil within herself start to weaken slightly, before-

_You hurt my dear Ky__ūna-shi__, _a voice growled. _That I will NOT pardon._

Kikyou's body became, if possible, even more rigid. This voice... this voice that was not a voice...could it be...?

_Yeah, that's right. I'm Muj__ōna__. I __**used**__-emphasis on __**used**__-to inhabit your reincarnation's body before she hired some nobody houshi to exorcise me while I was still weak. Luckily, I found a new host and made it back to Ky__ūna-sh__i before anything bad could happen. _There was a slight sigh, as if the speaker was slightly relieved at this turn of events.

The only sign of surprise that Kikyou displayed at the news that Mujōna had been exorcised from Kagome's body was her slightly raised eyebrows. That was in the past now, so it was unimportant. What mattered now was getting Mujōna out of _her _body.

_'I will purify you from my body,' _Kikyou told the youkai, her jaw set and eyes determined. _'I will kill you and put an end to Naraku!'_

_Yeah, yeah, you said that before in the clearing, I seem to recall. Except that time you had a little more incentive, didn't you?_

_'What do you mean?' _Kikyou demanded, eyes narrowing slightly.

_C'mon, don't play stupid. All it does is piss people off. You didn't just want to kill Naraku-you wanted to end __**Kagome's **__life, too. Ever since you were given a second chance to walk this Earth, you __**envied **__her like you envied no-one else. InuYasha trusts her more than he ever trusted you, and she's warmed his heart more than you ever did. He belongs more completely to her than he ever did to you...__**and it's eating you up. **_Mujōna laughed softly, her voice dripping with venom as she stated, _Funny, really. You're more jealous of Kagome than Kagome is of __**you. **Yet she was able-willing, even-to hand InuYasha over to you if it meant he would be happy. __Which miko do you think is the nobler in this situation, mm?_

The undead miko sat there, her form stiff and still, the only sign of movement the trembling of her lips as she bit back an outraged yell. The _nerve, _the sheer _nerve _of the youkai, delving into her secrets like that! This Mujōna was just like Naraku; someone who loved to look into a person's soul and use their own darkness against them.

_Thank you, _Mujōna purred. _I like being compared to Naraku-sama. It makes me feel good. _The miko clenched her fists in helpless rage, willing herself to ready one last burst of purification energy.

_Go ahead and try it, but I don't think it will work._

"Are you willing to bet your life-and Naraku's-on that?" Kikyou asked softly.

_I don't have to-I already know I'm going to win._

Kikyou let out a snort, then froze. From within her chest came the feeling like chains were being unshackled, a feeling that usually only appeared when-

The undead miko let out a cry of horror as the dead souls she was storing inside herself burst out of her clay body in a great wave, Mujōna's ruthless laughter echoing through her body as she undid the bonds that kept the souls inside her, sending them up toward the heavens. Each soul lost made Kikyou feel weaker and weaker, her limbs becoming heavier and heavier. Then, when the very last soul had left her body, the miko collapsed in a heap, her power gone.

_Not so haughty now, are ya, you bitch? Not so high and mighty now that you're lying like a helpless worm upon the ground, are you? _The youkai's voice burned with satisfaction, pleased with the weakness that weighed down the miko's fragment of soul.

_'What...what will you do with me now?' _Kikyou asked, her mental 'voice' weak. _'End my life?'_

_No, no...not yet. I think I can make use of your body. You're made of clay and bones, so you don't feel any pain, and since your soul is only an itty-bitty tiny little piece that has no power when there are no dead souls to sustain it...I think I'll enjoy myself while inhabiting you._

Kikyou wondered if she should care that Mujōna was taking over her body, but her thought processes were slowing down, becoming more foggy as time went by, making it nearly impossible to think. The dead souls she collected were her sustenance, after all, and without them she weakened rapidly. The world dulled, blurred, and finally faded as the miko's soul fragment receded into the recesses of her body like a starving man who faded into unconsciousness before his eventual death.

_'So...this is it...'_

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><p><em>AN: So...I AM working on the next chapter, for those of you who're wating for me to hurry up...I've just been a wee bit short of inspiration for the past few days..._

_It has nothing at all to do with Supernatural...nothing at all...^^;_


	37. Return to the Sengoku Jidai

The sun was barely peeking over the horizon when InuYasha started climbing up through the thin layers of his light doze. Blinking the weariness away from his eyes, the hanyou slowly stood, stretching slightly as he took his Tetsusaiga and replaced it in his obi. The dusty pink rays of light cresting the horizon in the distant East stretched over the lands, poking their long fingers into Kagome's bedroom and making the equally pink walls shimmer with light.

InuYasha snorted softly as he watched the sun rise. It had been Kagome's decision to stay in the Heisei jidai for one last night, something that she said would mean very much to her if he went along with her plan. InuYasha hadn't been able to argue with Kagome's hopeful expression and slightly sorrowful tone of voice as she told him what she wanted. Damn, when it came to that woman, he was just...

A soft moan from his left made the hanyou turn around, startled. Kagome was stirring, her body shifting slightly beneath the mass of blankets on her bed. Her eyes roved beneath their pale lids, her brow furrowing slightly as if something in her dreams was disturbing. Careful not to jostle the bed too much, InuYasha sat down beside her, adjusting his Tetsusaiga so it wouldn't feel _too _awkward. Arms crossing over his chest, he leaned back and waited for her to wake up.

Several seconds later, Kagome turned over onto her back, one hand coming up to rub her bleary eyes. She blinked as her head rose a few inches off her pink pillow. "InuYasha?" she rasped, her voice thick with sleep.

"Who else would it be?" InuYasha asked, one brow arching as he smirked down at her. Kagome smiled sleepily back, fighting down a yawn as she slowly rose, one hand resting on the bed behind her to steady herself.

"Gotta point there," she mumbled, losing the fight with the yawn in the process. Mid-yawn she paused, an expression that was a mixture of wistfulness and confusion crossing her face. InuYasha noticed and became concerned.

"Something wrong?" he asked, leaning forward a little bit as he looked into Kagome's chocolate-colored eyes. She blinked back at him, her mouth lifting in a slight smile.

"It's...kinda stupid," she admitted, one shoulder lifting in a shrug.

InuYasha snorted. "I deal with your crap all the time, K'gome."

"You deal with my what?" she asked, her voice a little too polite as her eyes narrowed a fraction.

"Nothin'," he muttered, ears flattening a little bit. "So...what's stupid, then?"

Kagome blinked and looked away, one emotionless laugh managing to force its way past her lips as she did so. "It's just...well, when you yawn sometimes, you feel your ears pop."

"I never had that happen," InuYasha interrupted.

"That's because your ears aren't located in the same place human ears are," Kagome teased, reaching up and grabbing one of the soft appendages on the hanyou's head. The hanyou gave a soft grunt of what sounded like protest, though he didn't pull away from the miko's gentle fingers. Then, the moment passed, and Kagome's soft smile slipped off her face as her hand began to pull away from his head, only to stop when InuYasha grabbed her wrist.

"C'mon, Kagome, just fuckin' _tell _me," he demanded, a little annoyance creeping into his voice.

Kagome didn't speak for a few seconds. When she did, her voice was soft and a touch sorrowful. "My left ear popped, but the right one didn't. That's all that happened." She shrugged again, a wistful smile breezing over her face. "Like I said, it's stupid."

InuYasha flinched as though a gunshot had gone off right next to him. His other hand came up and pushed Kagome to his chest as a dull pang of guilt throbbed through his heart. "I'm so sorry," he mumbled, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling, letting her scent wash through him, soothing and calming.

Kagome frowned and pushed him away, her brown eyes narrowing. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop beating yourself up over this? I don't blame you, so _you _shouldn't blame you."

InuYasha gave a weak laugh. "You say that like it's so easy to do, but..." He trailed off, unable to voice his thoughts. He turned away from her, the guilt washing over him again.

Kagome looked at him, her eyes steadily growing more sorrowful, tears beading at the intersections of her eyelids as her lips started trembling. "Why?" she whispered, her arms coming up to wrap around her body. "Why couldn't I have been stronger? Why...couldn't I spare you all this pain? And not just this," she continued, the tears trailing out of her eyes and dripping down onto her shirt, "But _all _of this! When I was kidnapped, when I lost my memory, when Mujōna took over my body, when I almost died-_twice_-all of that hurt you so much..." The sentence died in Kagome's throat as a small sob choked its way out of her mouth, her eyes squeezing shut in a futile attempt to stem the flow of tears now pouring down her cheeks.

InuYasha snapped out of his semi-guilt trip when the stench of Kagome's tears hit him like a sharp slap. As per usual, he freaked as soon as he saw that the miko was crying. The words she had spoken during that short amount of time took a moment to register in his panicked brain, but when they did, they caused a surge of outrage to gush forth from the depths of his heart.

"Dammit, Kagome," he growled, reaching out and grabbing her shoulders, forcing her to make eye contact with him, "Don't you start blaming yourself for all this shit again! It's Mujōna's fault, not yours! I'm getting...getting better, don't worry about that." He tucked her close to his chest again, breathing a soft sigh of relief when she didn't push him away.

"You realize that my hurt ear is Mujōna's fault too, right?" Kagome mumbled, sniffling as she tried to inconspicuously wipe her eyes on her pajama sleeve. "So...so you have to stop blaming yourself too."

InuYasha let out a hoarse bark of laughter as he clutched her tighter to his chest, her scent drifting up to him in a soft, sweet wave. "We are one hell of a pair, ain't we?" he asked, his voice faintly amused. Kagome pulled back to look at him, the last of her tears trailing slowly down her face. A watery but genuine smile touched her lips and made her face much brighter than it had been a few seconds before.

"We are," she agreed. "But we have each other, and that's all that matters in the end." Before the hanyou could say anything else, she stretched up and placed a light and airy kiss on his lips. She giggled mentally when she saw the momentary surprise in his eyes-really, they _were _together now-before he returned her affections, growling softly in his throat as his eyelids drifted shut over those fantastic topaz orbs of his.

Things had just started to get interesting when there was a soft _creak _and the door to Kagome's room opened. The couple jerked apart, whipping around to see Kagome's mother standing in the door, smiling serenely at the blushing duo on the bed.

"Sorry to interrupt you," she stated softly, "but I wanted to let you know that I've made you some breakfast. You can come downstairs at any time." She turned around, blinking back the tears of relief that prickled at the corners of her eyes.

For the longest time, Higurashi Karu had watched her daughter return countless times from the Sengoku jidai, her eyes dull and emotionless, drained of all that made her Kagome. She would retreat somewhere inside herself and wouldn't talk to anyone, and though she told everyone that she was fine, Karu had known better. She could tell that it was loving InuYasha that caused her such pain, that seeing him with another woman hurt her more deeply than she chose to display. It was hard to watch Kagome suffer like that, but Karu had not stopped her from going back to the Sengoku jidai, though another person might have. After all, while loving him did hurt her, Kagome suffered _more _when she was away from InuYasha, and Karu understood that.

Now, seeing her daughter and the hanyou she had fallen in love with so happy together made her feel like she had made the right choice after all. Mama Higurashi sniffed softly and wiped away one rebellious tear that trailed slowly down her cheek, her heart filled to the seams with happiness for her only daughter.

_'I'm glad, Kagome,' _she thought as she reached the pot of miso she had left on the stove, stirring it to see if it might have overcooked in her absence. _'I'm glad that I was able to let you find the answers for yourself, instead of forcing my answers on you and making you believe that they were right, as others might have done. I hope you and InuYasha-kun will be happy together.'_

Shortly afterward, Kagome came downstairs, InuYasha trailing behind her like a puppy on a short leash. They darted quickly to their seats, but not before Karu thought she saw their clasped hands held between them, their fingers tightly interlaced.

"So, will you be leaving today, then?" Mama Higurashi asked politely, dishing out some of the soup into small bowls and handing them to the young couple sitting before her. Kagome nodded and took her bowl, sipping delicately at the steaming broth.

"Hai. It's for the best. I'm all better and I don't have to worry about school anymore, so it's about time." Kagome left it at that, her face solemn as she slowly consumed her soup. Mama smiled understandingly, then laughed when the hanyou sitting next to her thrust his bowl at her, his cheeks packed to bursting with soup, obviously demanding more.

"Inu_Yasha!_" Kagome moaned, pushing at his arm with both hands. "Can't you _ask _for more instead of waving your bowl around like that?"

InuYasha swallowed and glared back at the miko, his face indignant. "It's not like I was fuckin' _threatening _her to give me more," he grumbled.

Kagome's face became even more incredulous at the sound of the swear word, but Mama Higurashi interceded before they could start arguing. "It's all right, Kagome," she soothed, giving the hanyou his second bowl of soup, which he started to devour eagerly. "I know InuYasha-kun didn't mean any harm."

Kagome's face was still disapproving, but she let out a sigh of resignation and set about finishing her portion of miso. Mama smiled, both at the sight of Kagome forgiving InuYasha so easily and at the slight sagging of InuYasha's shoulders, as though he was relieved that Kagome hadn't decided to start fighting with him.

All too soon, they were finished with breakfast and washing up their dishes in the sink. No-one was talking, making the rush of water from the tap sound much louder than it actually was. When they were done, Kagome took InuYasha's hand and let him lead her out of the house, both of them acutely aware that Karu was following them, not closely, but still following behind them. They made their way through the shrine's grounds, past the Goshinboku and the assorted storage buildings, slowly but surely approaching the shrine that housed the Bone-Eater's Well.

It was Kagome who reached out a hand and opened the aged wooden doors, revealing the dark interior of the shrine. Sitting at the bottom of the cracked wooden steps, as shrouded in darkness as it had been on the day her life had changed, sat the Bone-Eater's Well, its yawning maw concealing the entrance to the Sengoku jidai. For a while, Kagome just stood there and stared at it, her mind battling with what she was about to do.

Sure, the idea of leaving the Heisei jidai forever to live in the Sengoku jidai was all well and good-when she was still _in _the Heisei jidai. Now, however, when she was on the cusp of her departure, Kagome suddenly found herself dithering, lingering, her heart pounding in her chest. How could something so easy be so hard to do?

InuYasha looked at her, his eyes hidden behind his silver bangs, unreadable. "Are you going to change your mind?" he asked, his voice hollow. "I won't stop you if that's what you want."

The sound of the hanyou's voice pulled Kagome out of her thoughts and back down to Earth. She took a deep breath, firming her resolve, then turned to InuYasha, stretching up on her tiptoes to place her forehead against his. "No, I'm not going to change my mind," she told him. "But I need to do one more thing before I go." InuYasha looked at her, and was relieved at the sight of the resolve in her eyes. He nodded, telling her without words that he would let her do whatever she wanted. She smiled at him, placing a kiss on his cheek before turning around and walking out of the shrine.

Higurashi Karu stood at the entrance to the shrine, her arms crossed over her chest, her face melancholy. Upon seeing her daughter coming towards her, she started and took a step forward, her face becoming concerned.

"Kagome! Have...have you changed your mind?" she asked, fearing the worst. Kagome shook her head, stopping when she was only a few inches away from her mother.

"I haven't changed my mind, Mama," she said. "I...I just wanted..." Kagome sniffed, lifting her arm to wipe at the tears that were starting to swim in her eyes again. "I just wanted to...to say goodbye, you know?"

Mama smiled in understanding, reaching out and pulling her daughter close to her heart, like she had done so many times over the years, all throughout her daughter's life, now so much more significant at what could be their final parting. "Hai, dear," she said, her voice still soft. "I understand." Kagome sniffled, but didn't reply, choosing to bury her face in her mother's shoulder, her tears coming forth and staining her mother's shirt. Mama Higurashi shushed her daughter, stroking her long hair like she was a child again, soothing her while she also fought back her own tears.

"You know, partings don't have to be forever," she told her daughter, smoothing the midnight strands beneath her fingers to try and make the wild locks lie flat for once. "You can always come back to visit us when you get lonely...though I bet once you and InuYasha-kun start your own family, you won't feel so down," she amended, laughing softly when she heard Kagome start and watched her pull away from her shoulder, her face shocked. "Well, it's inevitable, isn't it? You _are _going to be his wife, after all, and having a family is one of the things a couple usually gets married for." Kagome's only response was to mumble something under her breath, her tone of voice embarrassed as a pink flush crossed over her cheeks.

Mama Higurashi smiled at her, trying hard to alleviate some of the sadness she saw in her daughter's eyes. "Don't worry, Kagome. I know you'll be happy, no matter what you choose."

Kagome smiled back, sniffling slightly as she looked into her mother's familiar, kind and faintly proud face. "Thanks, Mama," she managed to say, her voice quiet to try and keep herself from bursting out into sobs again. Then, she pulled away from her mother's embrace, turning back to where InuYasha stood in the door to the shrine, watching the two women with an unreadable expression on his face. Kagome walked swiftly over to him, reaching out and grasping his hand with both of hers.

"InuYasha-kun?" Karu called, just when they were turning to walk down the stairs. InuYasha turned back toward the older woman, his face just a touch annoyed. She smiled radiantly at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "Take good care of my daughter."

He blinked several times, as if taken aback by her request. Then, a scowl crossed his face, though Mama Higurashi knew it didn't really have any negative emotions behind it. "Of course I will," he grumbled. Kagome giggled halfheartedly and leaned against him, trying hard to look strong and happy. Then, they turned away again.

InuYasha darted down the stairs, pulling Kagome behind him as he made a beeline for the well. In his opinion, this tearful goodbye had been stretched out for long enough, and if they didn't get going soon, they would never get anything done. Surprisingly, Kagome wasn't resisting him, and even felt a little limp. With one great leap, he cleared the aged rim of the Bone-Eater's Well and fell into the darkness of the time-stream, Kagome right behind him.

Higurashi Karu watched as a pale blue flash illuminated the murky depths of the well-house, making the whole place shimmer with unearthly light as the portal through time admitted the inu-hanyou and her daughter. Then, the lights dimmed, leaving the old shrine shrouded in shadow once more. She turned slowly away from the place where her daughter had vanished, allowing the tears that had been lurking in her eyes to spill forth at last, trailing slowly down her face and falling silently to the ground. She looked up at the sky, tears still trailing from her eyes as her right hand started to massage the left, endlessly tracing her ring finger, where the ghost of her wedding band still haunted her.

Fate had snatched her beloved husband away from her after only a few years of marriage. Had the Kami decided to repeat that sad story with her only daughter?

_'Please, my dearest,' _she called, _'if ever you were watching over us, please watch over our daughter now and protect her from harm.'_

* * *

><p>Kagome was silent as she and InuYasha drifted through the time-stream. Occasionally, InuYasha flicked a glance at her, but he kept quiet. When Kagome got into her quiet and contemplative mood, she got very bitchy when she was forcefully jerked out of it. Anyway, it wasn't like he could offer his condolences or anything.<p>

InuYasha found himself thinking back to the time when his mother died, when he had been chased out into the wild and forced to grow up at an early age. He was bitter about being forced to leave his home, but leaving the people you loved willingly and admitting that you might never see them again...how would that feel?

There was a gentle bump as the time-stream slowly faded into the black depths of the Sengoku jidai's version of the Bone-Eater's Well, which was pretty much exactly like the Heisei jidai's version of the Bone-Eater's Well, except with more plant-life growing around and on it. InuYasha felt Kagome clamber up on his back, ready to let him carry her out of the well. When he felt that she was secure, he bent his knees and jumped. The stone walls of the well whooshed by his face in a matter of milliseconds before the bright sunlight of the clearing the well was situated in blinded him and nearly caused him to fall flat onto his face. But he managed not to, though his landing was a little wobbly.

"Well, I guess we should go see if the others have made it back here," Kagome said quietly, sliding quickly off InuYasha's back. The hanyou turned to look at her, his eyes a cross between curious and sad. Kagome noticed and paused mid-step, her brow furrowing. "What's wrong?"

"Do...do you regret leaving it all behind?" he asked. "Was it too soon for ya to leave?"

Understanding flashed in the depths of her eyes as the miko turned back to InuYasha and wrapped him in a fierce hug, nearly driving the breath from his lungs. "I _am _a little sad," she admitted. "Okay, make that _really _sad, but deep down I know that it's time. I meant it when I said I wanted to be with you, and if I am going to be...be your wife," both of them blushed when the word left her lips, but managed not to react other than that, "then I have to suck it up and get used to living here. And besides, like I've told you a thousand times already...you are _worth it._" As the last words left her lips, she stretched up on her tiptoes and planted a soft kiss on the tip of his sensitive nose, laughing softly when the hanyou's face became scrunched up and he sneezed.

"You think I'm worth it?" he asked, head tilted in a curious way.

"Yes, already!" she told him, her voice becoming a little exasperated. Before he could start the wheel of questions turning again, she released all of him but his hand and began towing him back toward the village. "Now, let's go see if Miroku-sama and Sango-chan are back yet."

InuYasha resisted for a few seconds before giving up, his last word on the matter his trademark "Feh!"

* * *

><p>Miroku sat in the middle of Kaede's hut, waiting patiently for the old miko to finish removing the stitches from his wounds. Sango was sitting next to him, her fingers twined with his. He didn't <em>need<em> her support-it wasn't like the wounds really _hurt_-but he liked it all the same. She was his now, after all, and nothing else mattered except that.

_'Well,' _he amended in his head, _'We have to defeat Naraku and Kagome-sama has to recover from her injuries...but other than that...'_

"I'm bored!" Shippou complained, bouncing up and down as he ran around the room, his paws a creamy blur beneath his torso. "When're InuYasha and Kagome gonna come back?"

"When Kagome-chan has recovered from her wounds," Sango replied, her voice tired. The kitsune had been suffering from severe cabin fever for the past day or so, and nothing the houshi or taijiya said could get him to calm down. Both of them were pretty sure the only thing that would make Shippou stop acting like a over-sugared toddler was Kagome and InuYasha's return, and they hoped that would be soon.

"There you go, houshi-sama," Kaede declared, putting away her tools and getting to her feet. "The last of the stitches have been removed. Just take it easy for a week or two so you won't have to worry about the wounds reopening."

Miroku nodded and drew his robes back up and around his shoulders, privately wondering if he _would _be able to take it easy for a week. If past experiences were anything to go by, the answer to that question would probably be no. Ah well, he could hope, right?

Then, a rustling outside drew their attention to the door. Sango stiffened, her eyes flashing from the door to her Hiraikotsu and back again. Shippou wailed and dived for cover. Miroku, however, stayed calm, as did Kaede. "Do not worry, friends," he said in a soft voice. "They aren't enemies."

As soon as the words left his mouth, the reed mat hanging over the entrance moved aside, revealing the perpetrator's identity. It was InuYasha, of course, one black eyebrow crooked as his ears twiddled atop his head. "Did you guys seriously think I was a fuckin' bad guy?" he asked, half-sarcastically, half-teasingly.

"InuYasha! You're back!" Shippou cried, leaping forward and landing on the hanyou's head. InuYasha's reply was a soft snort as he removed the kitsune from his head and entered the hut. A few seconds later, Kagome entered the hut, smiling softly at her friends, looking as if she had never encountered Mujōna or been forced to murder countless people.

"Kagome-chan! Thank all the Kami you're all right!" Sango cried, charging forward and wrapping the young woman in a tight hug, tears forming at the corners of her eyes at the sight of her friend, looking much better than she had when they had parted.

"Well...I'm not _all _right...but I'm okay," Kagome amended softly, her voice still calm. Sango pulled back, her face becoming worried.

"Why? What's wrong, Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked, approaching the two women slowly, painfully aware of a certain hanyou's golden glare, warning him not to touch what was his. Kagome slowly disengaged herself from Sango, though she kept her hands on her taijiya friend's shoulders. Her smile became a little sad as she looked at the two people she trusted more than anybody else in her time and theirs. (Well, except for InuYasha, of course.)

"The damage done to my right ear was so severe that they had to remove all the bones located inside of it. I will never hear out of it again." Kagome's simple statement was delivered in the same calm tone she had been using since she'd arrived at Kaede's hut, yet it carried more meaning than the most despondant of wails. As she spoke, the hanyou at her side moved forward and put his hands on her shoulders, offering her support with his touch.

Nobody spoke for a few minutes, unwilling to break the silence. Miroku and Sango stared at Kagome, trying hard not to look too sad. The last thing they needed was for Kagome to think they felt sorry for her. She would _not _appreciate it, her personality being what it was.

Kaede decided to break the silence after several members of the group made attempts to speak but obviously thought against it. "Are you bitter about your loss of hearing?" she asked.

"No, I'm not. It could have been much worse, after all," Kagome said, her chin lifting up in what was a faintly rebellious expression.

"Then that is all that really matters," Kaede stated wisely. "It _is _unfortunate that you lost the hearing in your right ear, but if you don't feel bitter about it, then it is best that we leave the matter be and focus on more important things." The old miko moved over to where Miroku and Sango had stashed Kagome's backpack after returning to the village and took out Kagome's short red bow and quiver of arrows. She shuffled back to where Kagome stood and held them out. "It has been a long time since you have drawn your bow, I think. Maybe some practice with it is in order before you return to hunting Naraku, hmm?"

Kagome took the bow and quiver from Kaede, studying them as if she had never laid eyes on such things before. "Yes," she finally agreed. "I probably should practice a little bit. I haven't held a bow for over a month, after all, and I'm probably _really _rusty."

"I don't think you'll be _that _rusty," InuYasha disagreed, ears twitching slightly. Kagome looked over at him, smiling slightly.

"Even so, practice makes perfect," she replied, reiterating a line she had once stated when they had started their travels together, when neither of them had wanted to travel together and wanted the search for the shikon-no-kakera to end as quickly and painlessly as possible. How much things had changed since then...

"Okay then," he said. "I'm fuckin' tired of sitting around though."

"Then you can go out and see how far you get by yourself," she teased, reaching up and tweaking one of his ears. The hanyou growled and responded by roughly nuzzling her cheek.

"It's _you _who can't go anywhere without _me,_" he growled.

"Uh, who's the one who always gets in a funk when I'm gone?" she asked, one eyebrow raising. InuYasha's response was to roll his eyes and emit a "Feh!" though his eyes carried no bitterness. Kagome laughed and moved up to kiss him, not noticing the open-mouthed stares she was getting from her friends as she did so. When they broke apart, Miroku was the first to confront them with his observations, though he did so in a calm and polite manner.

"Things have changed between the two of you, haven't they?" he asked, his eyes sparkling brightly. InuYasha snorted and pulled his miko close to his chest.

"Took you long enough to notice, bouzou," the hanyou replied, snickering slightly as his eyes glowed in response.


	38. Threading the Web

The serene village sat peacefully within its nest of grass, its occupants going about their daily business without a shred of fear or doubt in their hearts. The farmers plowed their fields with the same slow movements that their fathers had taught them, sweat glimmering on their faces as they shoved the rough wooden tools through the dirt.

Kyūna-shi looked down from the top of the hill that overlooked the whole affair, a scowl vaguely distinguishable on his gaping maw. Mujōna stood beside him, her red eyes glinting slightly as she disdainfully observed the humans below.

"They're so pathetic, aren't they?" she asked, her voice nonchalant. "Toiling all day in the mud, going nowhere and doing nothing." A grin crossed over her face, a few narrow lines pulling at the corners of her mouth, much like cracks stressed the lips of a clay jar that has dried too quickly. "_That _is all their lives amount to, Kyūna-shi. A lifetime of working the mud to feed children that will never amount to anything, and eventually dying without leaving a mark upon the land. Pitiful, isn't it?"

Kyūna-shi didn't reply. His mouth was still fixed in a scowl as he glared daggers at the village below. Mujōna turned to look at him, her perfect brow furrowing. "What is it?" she asked, her voice annoyed. "You've been sulking ever since that event in the field. Now tell me-what the fuck's wrong with you?"

Kyūna-shi glanced at the stately woman standing next to him, his red eyes narrowing. **"Why did you leave my body?" **he asked, his voice a low growl. **"We were supposed to stay together forever. That would have been the ultimate form of protection, Muj****ōna****, and you **_**know **_**it. So-" **Without warning, the giant youkai lifted his apish black arms over his head and roared to the heavens, his 'voice' echoing in Mujōna's head and causing some of the villagers to look around in confusion, **"-WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME, MUJŌNA?"**

The youkai/miko jerked back, astonished by the ōkami-youkai's anger. Then, she rapidly composed herself, drawing her white haori tightly around herself as she glared back at her companion. "Kyūna-shi, you and I both know that Naraku-sama ordered me to inhabit the body of the woman InuYasha loves. However, there was a detail he left out: InuYasha's heart was torn between _two _women, not just one. InuYasha might not love Kikyou as much as he loves Kagome, but there _is _a part of his grubby little human heart that yearns for her. So, while she isn't Kagome, Kikyou shall serve as an excellent host." She cocked her head at Kyūna-shi, one eyebrow arching over her red eyes. "Satisfied?"

**"I am not!" **Kyūna-shi declared, planting his fists on the ground and looking down upon Mujōna. **"We made a **_**promise, **_**Muj****ōna****. You would never leave me again. I would protect you. That is what we decided we would do. And yet you would start this cycle of failure over again! Whenever you enter a separate host, I cannot guarentee your safety!" **The big youkai sighed and deflated slightly, ears flattening against his head as he looked away. **"I did not tell you, for upon finding you alive, I had forgotten all about it...but Naraku-sama will not pardon another failure from me. If I fail you again, ****Muj****ōna****...that is it. Naraku-sama will end my life and reabsorb me back into his body." **Theōkami-youkai seemed to smile, the edge of his gaping mouth twitching slightly. **"I will accept it, if it comes to that. After all, protecting you is my job, and if I should fail...then what is Ky****ūna-shi**** good for?"**

By the end of his little speech, Mujōna looked positively floored, her mouth hanging open as her eyes bugged out of their sockets. It took her a few minutes to muster up her host's voice in order to form a coherent sentence: "N-Naraku-sama...is going...is going to _kill you?_" Her voice was hoarse, as though she had gone for many days and nights without water.

**"You are his heart, ****Muj****ōna****. You of all people should know what Naraku-sama desires." **Kyūna-shi turned back toward the village, a slight breeze ruffling his black fur, making it look like a sea of midnight-colored grass. **"He wants a minion who can perform their duties well and be reliable at all times. I am neither."**

"That's not true!" Mujōna choked out, her hands fisting tightly in the thick black fur lining the youkai's arm. "You _never _fail to find me again! You _always _follow my orders without question, and no matter what happens, we _always _manage to find each other again! You are _not _worthless _or _unreliable, Kyūna-shi!"

**"Thank you for saying that," **Kyūna-shi stated, and he sounded sincere, though his face prevented him from looking it. **"You...have always been kind to me, ****Muj****ōna****."**

The youkai/miko snorted softly, a little bit of her arrogance returning to her face. "Well, _somebody _has to look out for you, right?"

Before Kyūna-shi could answer, a faint droning sound could be heard. Frowning, both of Naraku's incarnations turned to see something heading towards them. A few seconds later, they could make out the bulbous body of an ugly wasp, its bulging red eyes fixated upon the pair standing on the hill.

"Saimyoushou," Mujōna stated, her voice soft and emotionless. The bug descended from on high and stopped a few feet in front of their faces, staring straight at them as it conveyed its message. When it was done, it flew back in the direction it had come from.

"Is that _really _what Naraku-sama wants?" Mujōna asked, her voice skeptical.

**"If Naraku-sama wills it, then so it must be," **Kyūna-shi said. **"So, we shall go."**

She turned toward Kyūna-shi, her red eyes curious. "Still, meeting him on the outskirts of that little group's village? What could he be up to?"

Kyūna-shi put an arm down, allowing Mujōna to scramble up onto his shoulder. **"Murder," **he growled, a familiar ghoulish sneer crossing over his muzzle. **"I think we're going to murder people. Could be fun, don't you think, Muj****ōn****a?"**

Mujōna smiled in response. "Could be. It's been a while since we raised a good old fashioned ruckus, don't you agree?"

The giant youkai didn't reply, focusing instead on breaking out into a lurching run, using his large fists to propel himself into the woods, heading in the direction that the youkai servant of Naraku's had vanished. There was a battle in their future, and the two youkai wouldn't miss it for the world.

* * *

><p><em>THUNK.<em>

Kagome frowned as she lowered her bow. The arrow she had shot was five inches away from the spot on the tree where she had been aiming. Was she _that _rusty?

_'Well,' _she told herself wryly, _'I haven't touched my bow in well over a month, so it's really no surprise that my aim's off.' _With a small sigh, she reached into her quiver and drew out another arrow, stringing it onto her bow and drawing it back again, aligning the shaft with her eye as she spotted out her next target.

"Doin' alright?"

Kagome started at the sound of InuYasha's voice, the bowstring humming softly as her fingers loosened their grip, thereby releasing the arrow and sending it tumbling head over fletchings onto the ground. She whirled around, glaring daggers at the hanyou who was now standing behind her.

"InuYasha, you baka!" she scolded, her hands on her hips as she glared at him, "Don't sneak up on me like that when I'm holding my bow! If you're not careful, I could end up shooting you!"

InuYasha snorted and settled back against a tree, a smirk on his face. "You wouldn't shoot me. You're too klutzy."

Kagome raised an eyebrow, her arms coming up to cross over her chest (she was still holding her bow). "Oh really?" she challenged softly.

"Yeah, really," he replied, eyes sparkling with jest as he looked down at her. "But that's okay. I'd be in _really _deep shit if you got over your clumsiness."

Kagome tried to look angry, failed and ended up laughing, her head tilted back towards the sky as a wide smile lifted her lips and rivaled the sun in its bright glory. For a few seconds, the hanyou lost his train of thought as he stared at her, jaw gaping slightly.

"Why can't I stay mad at you, InuYasha?" Kagome asked as her laughter subsided, letting her bow drop to the ground so she could wrap her arms around the hanyou's waist and nuzzle his chest, a sound like a soft purr radiating through her small frame when he embraced her back.

"Hell if I know." The hanyou guessed that it was because she loved him, but he decided not to say so out loud. Better for her to say it and confirm it than for him to say it and be wrong, or whatever.

Kagome frowned slightly at InuYasha's response, a small crease forming between her eyebrows. "Because I love you, baka."

"I knew that," he stated defensively. Kagome snorted derisively and turned away, intent on picking up her bow and resuming her practicing. InuYasha looked at her, his face struggling between a mask of indifference and raging curiosity. "Why're you doing that?"

"Because some of us aren't naturals at fighting, and if we don't practice, we tend to fall behind," Kagome replied, picking up the arrow from where it had fallen and restringing it.

"Still...why _now? _I don't remember you practicing before," he challenged, an eyebrow lifting slightly as the hint of a smirk touched his lips. Kagome didn't reply for a moment; she was too busy eying a new target and drawing her bow up into its ready position. She inhaled softly while pulling the string back as far as it would, still keeping her eye on her chosen target. Then, she simultaneously exhaled and released her hold on the bowstring. With a loud _THUNK, _the arrow landed in the exact center of the tree's trunk, quivering slightly with the force of the impact. With a slight sigh, Kagome turned back to InuYasha.

"I practice now so we _won't _have a repeat of what happened almost two months ago, InuYasha," she intoned, her voice quiet and emotionless. InuYasha felt a little ashamed for teasing Kagome then, his ears flattening onto his head as his face fell. Kagome was silent for a few moments before clapping her hands together and startling the hanyou back a pace or two.

"Enough of this depressed attitude!" she declared. "Let's go back to Kaede-ba-chan's and see what everyone else is up to!" With that, she seized InuYasha's hand and dragged him out of the forest, barely hearing his mumbled protests as she sped them along.

If they had been paying more attention to the forest surrounding the village, the events that would happen to them later would probably have been avoided.

* * *

><p>Naraku waited on the outskirts of the village where he had once gotten his hands on the Shikon-no-Tama, where he had turned InuYasha and Kikyou against each other to further sully the jewel, where Kikyou had defied him by choosing to die and take the Shikon-no-Tama to the grave with her, and it was ultimately the place where the jewel had been reborn, starting the cycle over again. So, Naraku knew with the certainty of a spider laying down its web that <em>this <em>village should be the place where the final confrontation should take place. He would kill all his enemies and raze the village to the ground. After that, his so-called 'children' would be next. No room for everybody at the top, after all, and after fifty years of searching and lusting after the Shikon-no-Tama, Naraku did not want one of his incarnations to make it all pointless by killing him. There was just one thing left, one thing he had to wait for...

"Naraku-sama?" The voice that came from the trees was soft, emotionless, boyish. Naraku barely spared a glance in the speaker's direction. He was too busy studying the village below.

"You have been away for far too long," he chided, his voice soft and dangerous. "When I give you a task, it should be given the utmost priority, Kohaku."

When the name fell from the dark hanyou's pale lips, the boy appeared at his side, much like he had just materialized in the blackness clinging to the edges of the foliage surrounding him. Kohaku was dressed in his taijiya outfit, his back rigid and his face blank. Naraku looked at him now, his face never changing from its eternally smug mask. "Kohaku, I sent you out nearly four months ago to retrieve the rest of the shikon-no-kakera in Nippon...why has it taken you this long to return to me? Perhaps you have enjoyed your freedom too much, Kohaku." As the poisonous words left his mouth, Naraku's hand snaked forward, his fingers seizing Kohaku's chin to make sure that the child's brown eyes never left his.

"The youkourouzou were suspicious, Naraku-sama," Kohaku droned, his voice never changing from its emotionless monotone. "I chased them for a month before they finally let their guard down."

Naraku raised an eyebrow, his fingers keeping their tight grip on Kohaku's chin. "Enough of this. Tell me-did you retrieve the items I asked for? Did you get the shikon-no-kakera?"

Kohaku did not reply, but his hand went to the armored shell covering his right elbow, lifting it up and letting the two sparkling pink objects inside tumble into his palm. He then lifted them up to show his master, face still clear of any sort of reaction. Naraku released his boy servant's chin and took the shikon-no-kakera he was proffering. They glowed a feeble pink before darkening to deepest black. Then they melted into his palm, traveling rapidly through his flesh as they joined with the rest of the Shikon-no-Tama. Naraku relished the surge of power that jolted through him, like a drug addict reveled in the rush of a new high.

"Good work, Kohaku," he purred, his voice dripping with honey and poison. "Now I hold the almost completed jewel in my hands." He cocked his head at the young taijiya, his red eyes glowing with malicious light. "When the time comes...will you be ready to die in order to give me the power I desire?"

"Hai, Naraku-sama," the taijiya replied without missing a beat. Naraku's smile became twisted, his eyes narrowing to red slits as he turned back to the village.

"Then, Kohaku, all we have to do is wait for the others to arrive. Then, my enemies will _truly _know what it means to see Hell on Earth."

Kohaku did not reply, but that was no surprise to anyone. Naraku chuckled softly as he watched the blissfully unaware villagers wander around the village, completely ignorant to his presence.

Well, that would change soon enough.

* * *

><p>youkourouzou-demon wolf tribe<p> 


	39. Tempest

The day was quiet. Far, far too quiet for Sesshoumaru's liking. The dai-youkai didn't show it, but the quiet unsettled him and made his hackles tense as if for battle. He paused in the middle of the forest he and his group were traveling through and lifted his nose into the faint breeze, scenting the air around him for a sign, any sign, that something might be wrong. Behind him came the sounds of his group catching up to where he was and eventually stopping behind him.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Jyaken was by his lord's side in a flash, his bulbous eyes alight with concern. Behind them, Rin perched lightly on Ah-Un, gazing over the dragon's two heads with a slightly confused look on her face. Meanwhile, Jyaken was pacing around so that he could see Sesshoumaru's face. "My lord?" he asked when he received no reply.

"Silence," Sesshoumaru replied, stopping whatever Jyaken was going to say next. The imp waited at his lord's ankle, his yellow eyes fixated up the inu-youkai's face. Whatever was going on couldn't be good; Sesshoumaru's face was steadily growing more stoic as the minutes flew by, a sure sign that something was wrong.

"My lord?" Jyaken prompted, though his voice was fearful. Defying his master was not something he liked to do, after all...

"Come, Jyaken." Sesshoumaru abruptly strode forward, his back regally stiff, his face just as stoic as ever. Jyaken swallowed and followed as swiftly as his stubby legs allowed him, his Nintojou clutched firmly in his claws. Rin spurred Ah-Un to follow their lord, but stopped when Sesshoumaru turned to face them, a flicker of emotion shooting across the irises of his normally cold golden eyes.

"Rin. You and Ah-Un will find shelter for the night. Wait for this Sesshoumaru's return." The dai-youkai's tone of voice made it crystal clear that any argument would not be tolerated or accepted. Rin's lips quivered, but she nodded and seized Ah-Un's reins, turning him off the trail that Sesshoumaru and Jyaken were taking and spurring him to take off. Within seconds, they were just a small dot in the endless blue sky.

"What now, my lord?" Jyaken asked, careful to keep his voice low and subservient.

Sesshoumaru didn't reply, but he bent his knees in preparation to take flight. Jyaken quickly grabbed a hold of his lord's mokomoko-sama, and a few seconds later, Sesshoumaru was in the air, the forest fading to a soft green carpet beneath him as his mokomoko-sama whirled and undulated about his ankles.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Where are going?" Jyaken cried, clinging to his master's mokomoko-sama for dear life. Sesshoumaru flicked a glance back at Jyaken before turning his eyes back to the road before him.

"This Sesshoumaru smelled him," he replied. "Now this Sesshoumaru will end it."

Jyaken's eyes nearly bugged out of his skull when he realized what Sesshoumaru was talking about. "Y-Y-You mean N-N-Naraku, Sesshoumaru-sama?" he practically squeaked.

Sesshoumaru didn't reply, which didn't bode well for the imp retainer. With a moan of fear, he clung to the mokomoko-sama as tightly as his clawed hands and feet would permit him, Nintojou tucked under his arm, his face buried in the strange fur as his lord soared through the air. Whatever faced them in the future, Jyaken was sure he wouldn't like it.

* * *

><p>Kyūna-shi lumbered slowly through the forest surrounding the village of the Goshinboku, his fists and paws making deep imprints in the mossy ground as he pushed his way onward. Mujōna perched on his shoulder, her face fixed in an intent look of deep thought.<p>

**"We are almost there, Muj****ōna****," **Kyūna-shi told the woman on his shoulder as he slowed his pace slightly. **"I can sense Naraku-sama's aura from here. He's close by."**

"Good," Mujōna said distractedly. "That's great, Kyūna-shi."

The ōkami-youkai didn't bother her after that, leaving the youkai alone with her thoughts.

In all honesty, Mujōna didn't know what to think of Naraku anymore. In the very beginning, when he had given her life and saved her from the dark void of...wherever she had been, Naraku had been nothing more or less than a god, and Mujōna was ready to follow his instructions to the letter. He told her to inhabit Kagome's body, and she did so. He ordered her to wait until Kyūna-shi called to her, and she obeyed. He commanded her to make InuYasha's group suffer until their eventual deaths, and she tried her best to do so. As more time went by, however, Mujōna found herself doubting the master who had given her life. If Naraku cared for her so much, as he claimed, then why did he choose to give her a body that was ugly, useless and totally helpless? If she and Kyūna-shi were supposed to have free will, then why did Kyūna-shi bow and scrape to Naraku now? And, if Kyūna-shi had failed Naraku one time too often, why had he given his incarnation a shikon-no-kakera, one of those precious artifacts that Naraku was determined to keep for himself?

_'No matter which way I look at it, only one thing is certain,' _Mujōna told herself grimly. _'Naraku cannot be trusted. Not at all. His purposes are shrouded from everybody, even __**us**__.' _She looked down at Kyūna-shi's furry head, her host's hand tangling in the rough black fur. Her brow furrowed when she realized that Kikyou's clay hands couldn't feel the coarse fur at all. _'No good undead miko bitch,' _she growled internally. The tiny fragment of soul buried deep within her host pulsed slightly in response to the insult, but other than that Kikyou didn't react.

_'Anyway...how do I tell Ky__ūna-shi__ about this? I can't be certain, but I think that the shikon-no-kakera Naraku gave him is messing with his mind. He's completely devoted to Naraku now.' _Mujōna's brow furrowed in thought as an idea that hadn't occurred to her previously drifted to the surface of her mind. _'Wait...wasn't there someone else like that in Naraku's service? A human...what was his name? Ko-something-or-other?'_

**"We are here, Muj****ōna****!" **Kyūna-shi announced proudly, coming to a halt that nearly jerked Mujōna off his shoulder. She blinked and looked down.

Naraku was sitting on a rock in front of her, his face focused on something she couldn't see from the angle which she faced. Kanna stood at his left side, her face impassive as always, her mirror clutched in her hands. A human child stood at his right, his face also impassive. He wore skintight black clothing that had tan armor plates bound to his elbows, shoulders, stomach and knees by turquoise cords. He flicked a glance over to Mujōna and Kyūna-shi, then looked back at Naraku. "Naraku-sama," he announced, his voice quiet and emotionless, "Mujōna and Kyūna-shi have arrived."

Naraku straightened up, his long reptilian tails fanning out behind him as he turned slowly to face his incarnations. "You are late, Kyūna-shi. Did it honestly take you that long to find-" Naraku's sentence abruptly choked itself off as he realized just _who _was sitting on Kyūna-shi's furry shoulder. He surged to his feet, his eyes blazing with sudden fury.

"What is the meaning of this?" he hissed, looking at Mujōna as if she were some terrible and disgusting thing. Mujōna jerked back, her face shocked. She'd been expecting a number of reactions from Naraku, but anger wasn't one of them. But, she reminded herself, she held Naraku's heart. There was nothing that Naraku could threaten her with.

"What do you mean, 'what is the meaning of this?'" Mujōna asked crossly, leaping down from Kyūna-shi's shoulder to land gracefully on the grassy ground below. She fixed Naraku with an angry red stare, drawing herself up to her full height. "To clarify, you told me to inhabit the woman InuYasha loves, which could mean _either _Kikyou _or _Kagome. Since Kagome wasn't...available anymore, I had no choice."

Naraku stiffened further, his tails writhing and twisting like a tempest as his eyes blazed like the pits of Hell. Without warning, he whipped out his hand, each finger stretching out and becoming a tentacle. One got Mujōna about the throat, two held her wrists and two bound her ankles. Gritting her teeth and glad her host didn't need to breathe, Mujōna fixed her master with a piercing stare. "Why the loving treatment, Naraku?" she hissed, not bothering with the honorific anymore.

Naraku just glared at her, his eyes blazing, out of control. Kyūna-shi rushed forward to help Mujōna, but was quelled when the dark hanyou pinned him with his furious gaze.

"Back away, Kyūna-shi," Naraku growled, every word dripping with ill suppressed rage. "This has nothing to do with _you._" The giant youkai did as he was told, though his gaze flicked constantly from Mujōna to Naraku and back again. Naraku ignored him in favor of glaring at Mujōna, his eyes still aflame with wrath. "Why do you inhabit Kikyou's body?" he demanded, lifting her so that her sandaled feet left the ground.

"Why not? It's the best option for me! It won't die so easily, and it doesn't need to eat, or breathe, or-" Whatever else Kikyou's body could do was choked off as Naraku's tendril tightened about her throat. Apparently, though her host didn't need to breathe, she still needed air to speak.

"Shut up!" he snapped, his voice lacking the mocking civility it usually carried. "Do you know what you have _done _by inhabiting her?"

"Saved my fuckin' life, that's what!" Mujōna managed to gasp, struggling against Naraku's tentacles as she fought to get free. Naraku, however, wasn't about to let that happen.

"You have no idea..." he whispered, his voice hoarse and his eyes wild, "...the plans I had in store for her...I would make the bitch rue the day she was resurrected, make her regret ever showing kindness to that bandit Onigumo over fifty years ago! She would have _suffered _for daring to defy my plans again and again and _again! _And you-_you take that all away from me!_" By the end of his rant, Naraku was practically frothing at the mouth, his eyes crazed as he shook Mujōna like a rag doll, making her teeth rattle in her head. A few minutes passed after his passionate speech, during which the dark hanyou panted wildly and Mujōna waited for him to let her go, imaginary sweat droplets beading at her temples.

Finally, Naraku's elongated fingers loosened and dropped her to the ground. Mujōna glared at him as she moved to stand by Kyūna-shi, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back against his arm, scowling darkly at her former master. Naraku sighed and turned back to the village.

"Now that you are all here," he said, his voice still a little off, "You will execute my plan. Destroy this village and the fighters within."

"Aren't you coming with us?" Mujōna demanded, eyebrows furrowing as her mouth tightened into an angry line.

"Not yet. I...am not ready." To Mujōna and Kyūna-shi's surprise, Naraku raised one hand and pinched the bridge of his nose in a very human gesture. "Get out of my sight."

Naraku's incarnations looked at each other before Kyūna-shi shrugged and placed the youkai/miko back on his shoulder. **"No matter," **he declared. **"We get to kill people again, and that's all that is important!"**

* * *

><p>It was a quiet afternoon in the village. Kagome had finished practicing for the day, so she was back in Kaede's hut, listening intently as Kaede told her about various herbs and their uses in everyday life. The look on the young miko's face was reminiscent of one she used to wear in school, meaning the old miko had her full attention. She was perched in InuYasha's lap, the hanyou resting his chin on her head and occasionally snorting when Kagome tried to guess the uses of some herbs, only to be corrected by Kaede.<p>

Miroku and Sango were ensconced in a corner, discussing possible ideas for their future. Sango wanted to try and repopulate the village of the youkai taijiya, something she said would make her father happy, wherever he was. Miroku, however, thought that Sango was clinging far too hard to the memories of happier times she had spent there, and that those times were long gone now. He thought it was better to let Sango's people sleep in peace while they built their lives elsewhere. Obviously, this would be a rather harsh point to make to the youkai taijiya, so Miroku tried to keep his voice soft all throughout his explanation, even though Sango was looking more and more upset as the words came out of his mouth and hung in the empty air between them.

Shippou sat next to Kirara, facing the fire in the center of the room as he snuggled the warm nekomata. When he heard that Kagome probably wasn't going to go back to the Heisei jidai anymore, Shippou had thrown a huge tantrum, saying that she _couldn't_ stop traveling across time. If she stopped time traveling, then where would his sweets come from? Neither Kagome nor InuYasha had been impressed by Shippou's fit, to the point where Kagome didn't stop InuYasha from pounding on Shippou for a little bit. So the kitsune was nursing his hurts and grumbling about InuYasha while planning to do a raid of all his little hidden nooks and collect all the candy he had stored away for later. That way, he would have a stash of goodies that would probably last him for a good long while.

Then, just when Kaede had finished Kagome's herb lore lesson for the day and was about to start making that night's stew, an ominous wind gusted through the village, moaning through the trees and shrieking through small cracks in the hut's walls. At the same time, Miroku and Kagome both stiffened, their eyes flashing to the windows.

"I sense something evil coming," Miroku stated, rising from where he stood and taking Shakujou in both hands.

"Not just that," Kagome amended, slinging her quiver across her back, "but I can sense shikon-no-kakera...a _lot _of shikon-no-kakera."

Sango and InuYasha immediately rocketed to their feet, grabbing weapons and slinging them in place. The hanyou darted outside and sniffed furiously at the air, Kagome, Miroku and Kirara following after him. After a few moments he turned to them, his brow furrowed in confusion. "S'funny, I don't smell anything that ain't normal," he told them, ears twiddling slightly as he looked left and right.

Another wind blasted through the village, colder than the first and much wilder, too. Along with the wind came a huge blackish-purple cloud that blocked out the afternoon sky and made the land around them much darker and more ominous. Sango exited the hut a few moments later, dressed in her youkai taijiya finery with Hiraikotsu slung across her back, mask in place as she went to go stand by Miroku.

"We can worry about that later, InuYasha," Miroku told him. "For now, we should concentrate on whatever is invading the village." He turned to Kagome, who was also looking around, her brown eyes squinted as she searched. "Kagome-sama, what do you sense?"

"There's one shikon-no-kakera over _there,_" Kagome said, gesturing to the West, "one over_ there,_" she gestured to the East, "and I _know _there's something weird over there, but I'm not sure what it is." She pointed to the South-directly in front of them.

"I thought you said there were a _lot _of shikon-no-kakera," InuYasha growled, though his voice carried no venom. Kagome turned to him, one hand moving to her left ear.

"Could you repeat that, InuYasha?" she asked, her brow furrowing slightly. InuYasha's ears drooped as he mumbled an excuse under his breath, then winced because she wouldn't hear _that _either.

Before the hanyou could start apologizing and Kagome could start chastising him for it, Miroku intervened. "I think I should go to the shard in the West, and Sango should go to that strange aura in the South. InuYasha, you and Kagome should check out the shard in the East. I know you don't want to put Kagome in danger," Miroku interrupted when InuYasha opened his mouth to protest, "but I think you'll find that she'll be much safer with you than she'll be with Shippou, don't you think?"

InuYasha flushed slightly, but did not complain. Instead, he crouched down so Kagome could get on his back, waiting until she was securely in place before standing up again. Then, they split up and headed in their designated directions, Miroku's final word on the matter echoing behind them: "When you're done, we shall regroup here!"

Miroku focused on running after his parting shout, Shakujou's rings jingling wildly as he pushed himself further and further. This was the direction in which Kagome had said there was a shikon-no-kakera, yet he didn't sense any-

A tingle of awareness crawled down his back, sending Miroku in a wild dive to the left. Something cut through the night, crossing the space where he had once been before returning. Miroku heard the clanging rattle of chains and suddenly knew who his opponent was. He stood up and dusted himself off, watching the eerie lights of the purple sky overhead glance off a silvery chain as it soared through the air.

With the practiced ease of someone who had done this many times before, Kohaku caught the business end of his kusarigama with one hand, his dull brown eyes fixated upon Miroku. He was dressed remarkably similar to Sango, though his armor was a different color. He also wore his mask upon his face, making him seem all the more alien to the houshi.

"Kohaku...how I wish I didn't have to fight you," Miroku told the young boy in front of him, even as he readied his Shakujou and squared his shoulders, fixing the youth in front of him with a stern stare. "But I am glad that it was I who found you and not Sango. She does not need this right now."

If hearing Sango's name affected the youkai taijiya in any way, Miroku did not see it. For a few seconds they both just stood there, sizing each other up. Then, they both charged.

* * *

><p>Sango darted through the village, her gaze flicking from building to building as she searched for the source of the weird aura. Her stomach was tying itself in knots, a sure sign that something was wrong. Kirara was at her side, already in her battle-form, her lips pulled back to reveal a fearsome saber-toothed snarl. Together, they darted closer and closer to the outskirts of the village, searching until...<p>

Instinct that came with years of fighting youkai told Sango to leap onto her nekomata's back and get away from danger. As she moved to do so, she caught the gleam of a bright object in the corner of her eye. There was no stream running through this part of the village. Maybe it was a katana, or-

The pale form of Kanna the mirror-child appeared amidst the darkness, immaculate as ever in her pristine white kimono. Her lusterless black eyes were fixated upon the airborne taijiya and nekomata.

"No more struggling," she whispered, her voice barely audible, "This is the last night."

Sango had no time to decipher the mirror-child's strange words before she and Kirara were performing all sorts of aerial acrobatics, trying desperately to avoid having their images captured in the soul stealing mirror.

* * *

><p>InuYasha's feet wildly pounded the ground as he charged toward the Eastern border of the village. Kagome peeped over his head, making sure he didn't stray off the path by keeping track of where the shard was. For some reason, InuYasha still didn't smell anything unusual, so he couldn't rely on his nose to lead him in the right direction. In the part of her mind that wasn't primed and ready for battle, she wondered why that might be. Not only that, but the hanyou's strides were slower, his movements clumsier. What was going on with him?<p>

Her thoughts were jarred out of contemplation when she realized that the shard she _thought _had been in front of them had shifted to their side, moving right towards-

"InuYasha, _move!_" she screamed, just as a gigantic fist soared out of the darkness. InuYasha jumped to avoid it, but the jump was too weak to get clear of the danger. The furry fist caught InuYasha in the stomach and sent him flying backwards. Kagome toppled off his back with a shriek, the hanyou's claws clipping her shoulder as his back crashed against the wall of a nearby hut, three boards cracking with the force of the blow.

Kyūna-shi moved into full view, his muzzle twisted into a sneer as he brandished his fist. **"Was that your best attempt at countering my attack? Disappointing, hanyou." **The ōkami-youkai leered at the downed pair, his yellow fangs dripping with saliva that glittered like amethysts in the eerie light of the dark sky. His black fur was a river of violet shouki as he moved toward them, his paws thudding heavily in the grassy ground.

Kagome jumped to her feet, wincing as the shallow wounds in her shoulder protested and oozed blood, staining the arm of the sweater she had chosen to wear today. She flicked a glance over to InuYasha, who was rising from where he had fallen, a grimace on his face as one hand went to his back.

"InuYasha, are you okay?" she shouted, careful to keep her eyes on the advancing figure of Kyūna-shi.

"I'll be alright," he called back, limping toward her with a pained expression on his face.

"You sure? You've been acting rather strange all afternoon," she told him, concern trickling into her voice.

"That shit can wait," he declared, drawing his Tetsusaiga and gesturing to Kyūna-shi with it. "First, we deal with _this _mother fucker!"

Kagome nodded, drawing an arrow from her quiver and nocking it to her bowstring. But the flicker that darted across Tetsusaiga soon drew her attention away from Kyūna-shi, making her brows furrow as she studied it. Another flicker darted across the shining blade, followed by another. If she were to compare the phenomenon to something, it would most likely be the holograms on the sci-fi shows Souta liked to watch, usually when they were broken or malfunctioning. But Tetsusaiga wasn't broken, and she didn't think it would be malfunctioning at a critical time like this. So why...?

The clash of claws on steel jerked Kagome out of her thoughts, and she came back to Earth to see Kyūna-shi throw InuYasha backwards with ease, the hanyou crashing into the soil before he had a chance to right himself.

**"What's wrong, hanyou?" **he teased, tail swishing behind him as his chest swelled. **"Not feeling your ki tonight? Is your mind preoccupied with other things?"**

InuYasha managed not to rise to the taunts, though it looked a near thing. He flashed a glance over to Kagome and shouted, "A little help, if you'd fuckin' please!"

"Sure," she called back, distracted. Kyūna-shi's words echoed in her mind: _**"Not feeling your ki tonight?"**_

An image flashed to her mind, unbidden: she and InuYasha traveling through the woods the night before, teasing each other and laughing, occasionally stopping to nuzzle and cuddle, drunk with the emotions they allowed to run unrestrained through their bodies. She remembered him picking her up and swinging her around like she weighed nothing at all, remembered throwing her head back and laughing, the night sky dancing in her twirling vision, the sliver of moonlight and blanket of stars all meshing together like they'd been thrown into a blender.

Kagome felt a cold weight settling into the pit of her stomach.

_A sliver of moonlight. _

Yesterday, the moon had only shown a sliver of its silvery face. Today, even though the clouds overhead hid the sky from view, she knew that the moon would be completely hidden, giving the illusion that there was no moon at all; this was the night the new lunar month started. This was the night of the new moon.

This was the night that InuYasha lost his powers and became a regular human.

Kagome cursed herself thoroughly for forgetting this fact for even a second, but all the crap that had happened with Mujōna and Kyūna-shi had driven all thoughts of keeping track of the lunar calendar out of her-_their_-minds, and the shrinking moon had weighed little on their thoughts as they planned their next move and recuperated from their wounds.

The miko pulled herself out of her thoughts. Now was not the time to be lamenting over past mistakes. She had to rectify this _now, _before the night descended and InuYasha became totally helpless. Knowing Kyūna-shi-and Naraku's folk in general-she knew that they would feel no qualms in exploiting the hanyou's weakness to their benefit.

With that thought resounding in her head, she charged forward and grabbed the sleeve of InuYasha's haori, pulling him off-balance just as he was about to move in for a strike.

"What the fu-" InuYasha was cut off in mid-sentence as Kagome pulled harder, trying to get him to move despite the fact that he was now digging in his heels, stubbornly resisting her efforts.

"You have to get out of here!" she cried, totally ignorant of the fact that Kyūna-shi was watching them with an amused expression, his head tilted like a curious puppy's. "You have to get away _now!_"

"Why should I? I ain't losing _that _badly!" he snapped back, still resisting Kagome's insistent tugs. "Give me one good reason I should start movin'!"

Kagome threw all caution to the winds, though she secretly crossed her fingers and hoped that Kyūna-shi wouldn't understand what she meant: "Dammit, InuYasha, the lunar month starts tonight!"

Kyūna-shi looked confused, but alarm flashed for a brief second in InuYasha's eyes, shortly before it was replaced by determination. He tugged his sleeve out of Kagome's slackened grip and turned back to Kyūna-shi, Tetsusaiga still at his side.

"I'm not running away, Kagome," he told her. "I've been waiting to kill this damned hell-spawn for way too fuckin' long now, and I ain't gonna let something like this stop me!"

"YOU BAKA!" she bellowed, seizing his obi instead as she redoubled her efforts to drag him away. "YOU'LL GET YOURSELF KILLED!"

"Then that's a chance I've gotta take! I'M NOT LETTING HIM GET AWAY AGAIN!" InuYasha pulled free of Kagome's desperate grip once again, Tetsusaiga hefted high over his head as he charged Kyūna-shi, the purple light glinting off the blade as his feet pounded the road beneath him. The hanyou leaped as high in the air as he could manage and brought the blade swinging down toward the giant's shoulder.

But, just as the katana was about to rend Kyūna-shi's neck, a frisson of energy passed down its blade before dispersing like a popped bubble, making Tetsusaiga shrink down into a rusted old stick of a katana. At the same time, a black spot appeared on the back of InuYasha's head, slowly spreading over his silver mane like an ink spill over pristine parchment. Though the clouds hid it, the sun had descended behind the Western horizon, and the change had begun. InuYasha howled as Kyūna-shi easily sidestepped the attack, sending him crashing to the ground. Kagome darted forward to help him, but was repelled by one of the youkai's foot-paws as he cleared the area around him with a vicious leg swipe.

Kagome rose slowly from where she had fallen, wincing as she felt a large welt rise up on her side and lower stomach. She was going to be one giant mass of bruises tomorrow, of that she was sure. In the blink of an eye, InuYasha was at her side, his eyes concerned as he crouched down and helped her get to her feet.

"Are you alright?" he demanded, his eyes roving over her face and body as he searched for obvious hurts.

"I should be asking _you _that," she stated testily, a small pang of fear jolting through her as she watched the black leeching through his hair, the ears on his head shrinking and shriveling as his gold irises darkened to brown. InuYasha's human transformation was almost complete, and Kyūna-shi was still waiting for them, his eyes becoming more and more interested by the second.

**"I see now!" **he howled, charging forward with his claws outstretched. Kagome pushed her hanyou-turned-human out of the way, just barely managing to avoid Kyūna-shi's black talons. **"This is your night of weakness, hanyou! Tonight you are just another human whelp, and I, Ky****ūna-shi****, could kill you in one blow!"**

InuYasha ignored the ōkami-youkai in favor of turning to Kagome, his brown eyes intense. "Kagome, where's the shikon-no-kakera I _know _this fucker is hiding?" he asked. Kagome frowned at him, her brows pulling together in a disapproving way.

"As if I'm going to go let you fight him in your condition! I'm not talking!" She crossed her arms and jutted her lip out like a petulant child, trying hard to ignore the first hurt, then outraged expressions that crossed his face at her actions.

"Whose side are you on?" he bellowed, seizing her shoulders and jerking her forward. "I need to-"

"YOU DON'T NEED TO DO _ANYTHING!_" she howled back, pushing him off before lunging forwards and wrapping him in a hug that threatened to send both of them toppling to the ground. "Dammit, Inu, you need to get away-get to _safety! _It's way, _way _too dangerous for you to stay here!"

"And just what are you going to do?" InuYasha demanded, glaring at her with sullen brown eyes that didn't really suit him.

Meanwhile, Kyūna-shi looked a little affronted that he had been forgotten like this. A growl rumbled in his throat that nobody paid the slightest attention to. _**'Forget me like this, will they? Bad idea, hanyou...'**_

"I have no choice," Kagome replied, her voice bleak. "I have to stay here and fight him. It's the only way you-"

"Then I ain't going _anywhere!_" InuYasha roared, pulling her face towards him so their brown eyes were locked together. "Kagome, what's the point of sendin' me away if you stay here? I've...I've gotta protect you, Kagome. I'm not gonna let you die!" His lips pulled back in a snarl on the word 'die,' but it had lost most of its feral effect since he lost his fangs. Kagome blinked, rather startled by this turn of events, then closed her eyes, looking like she was trying hard not to cry.

"...It's in his left arm," she told him. It took InuYasha a second to realize what she was talking about. A flash of understanding crossed his face for a split second, then he was turning away and walking forward, Tetsusaiga still clutched in his hand as he went to face Kyūna-shi. The ōkami-youkai looked down at him, his face sulky.

**"Remembered me, have you? Is this fight interfering so much with your lovers' affair that you must forget your enemies?" **The ōkami-youkai actually looked put out with them, his apish arms crossing his chest as his muzzle twisted into some parody of a pout.

"Aw, save it, asshole," the hanyou-turned-human growled. "I'm still gonna kill you."

**"Such big talk for such a little insect," **Kyūna-shi taunted. **"I could squish you with one foot-paw right now, and yet you **_**still **_**dare to stand in front of me as if you are my equal?"**

"Hell yeah," he replied. "I'm _more'n _your equal, baka ōkami-youkai!" With that, InuYasha charged forward, the rusted katana hefted high over his head as he targeted Kyūna-shi's left arm. Still standing where InuYasha had left her, Kagome was a little disoriented at this turn of events, as well as worried. Her heart pounded in her throat as she watched the hanyou's black hair fan out behind him as he charged forth.

_'I have to help him-have to keep him __**alive**__!' _Kagome drew the arrow that had been nocked on her bow back to her ear, targeting Kyūna-shi's left arm as she did so. She was about to fire the arrow when a commotion near the edge of the forest caught her attention.

Something barreled through the foliage surrounding the fringes of the forest, darting blindly towards Kyūna-shi and InuYasha, both of whom looked a mite confused at this turn of events. When the figure hurtled into the pale lights of the dim sky, it illuminated her long black hair, pristine white haori and flowing red hakama.

_'Kikyou?' _Kagome wondered, even as the undead woman stopped in the middle of the field, her eyes darting around as if she was searching for something. _'What's she doing here?'_

"Kikyou?" InuYasha asked, ignoring Kyūna-shi again. "What in the name of the seven hells are _you _doing here?"

"InuYasha," she panted, lunging forwards and wrapping him in a surprisingly large and warm-looking embrace. "I was..._scared. _The things they were _doing _to me..."

If Kagome _felt _surprised, then InuYasha sure as hell _looked _it. "Uh..." Words utterly failed the hanyou as he raised his hands and held the miko awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

Kagome eyed her previous incarnation suspiciously. While she wasn't going to stop Kikyou from getting comfort when she needed it, there was something a little..._ off _about the situation. Like this was the well-rehearsed production of a strange play where there were only a few actors among civilians. The miko stretched out her senses, trying to find something to soothe her suspicions-and jerked back at the _evil _that Kikyou exuded, an evil that was foreign, wrong, and cold. It was the feel of Naraku's aura, and the feel she remembered Mujōna having. There was only one conclusion: the slimy black youkai that housed Naraku's heart now rested inside Kikyou's body, and InuYasha, completely unaware of this fact, was standing with his back to her.

"InuYasha, get away from her!" Kagome cried, raising her bow again to take aim at Kikyou, or, as she was now, Mujōna. InuYasha looked at her, alarm flashing in his eyes as he shifted Kikyou around to his back.

"Dammit, Kagome, point that thing somewhere else! I know Kikyou wanted to kill you, but it's _Muj__ōna _you should be angry at, not her!" Kagome frowned at InuYasha's defense of Kikyou, but there was no time for that. InuYasha couldn't see her, but Kagome saw Mujōna's eyes flash red as she smirked at the hanyou's back.

"It _is _Mujōna I'm angry at!" she shouted back. "Get away from her, _now!_"

InuYasha blinked, confused. _'What the hell...?'_

Then, he felt Kikyou's cold breath on the back of his neck, her voice a low whisper that his human ears could barely hear. "Thank you, InuYasha...for being such a gullible fool!"

The dagger that Kikyou had once used to threaten InuYasha appeared in Mujōna's hand as she lunged. Any cry that the hanyou was going to put forth was choked off as the dagger sunk deep into his lower back. Mujōna twisted the dagger gleefully, feeling bone, organ, tissue and flesh tearing around the blade as the hanyou retched, choking on his own fluids. The coppery-salt smell of blood started to rise, exciting Mujōna in that special way she knew would never fade.

"You are so _unbelievably _pathetic, hanyou," she whispered, her voice a lover's croon as she pulled InuYasha backwards, the dagger's blade sinking further into his back as her lips went to his ear. "Not only do you turn your back on me _again, _but you dare fight in your human flesh! I had _so _many plans for your demise, you know...but I guess I'll have to settle for _this_." With that, Mujōna pulled the dagger out of InuYasha's back with a violent tug that sent blood spattering against her clothes and face. Kyūna-shi let out a barking roar of laughter as the human youth toppled over, his eyes glassy and unfocused.

Kagome's eyes were wide, the pupils lost in her irises as she watched the youkai/miko walk slowly away, her eyes fixed on Kyūna-shi. But _her _eyes were on InuYasha, watching him as he collapsed to the ground with mundane finality, her heart pounding fast and hard in her chest, pumping ice water through her veins as disbelief flooded her system. No...this couldn't be happening...no...

"NOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed, her voice a terrible yowl as she darted to her hanyou's prone figure, bow and arrows clutched loosely in her hands as she collapsed by his side, lifting his head up from the ground and placing it in her lap, her fingers combing through his black bangs as if the frantic little tugs would keep him grounded. "InuYasha! _InuYasha!_"

The hanyou's eyes were open, his eyes looking at everything and nothing at the same time. But, as she cried his name, they focused blearily on her. One of her hands started stroking his soft black mane as the other went to his cheek, her breathing speeding up as she watched blood flow out of InuYasha's mouth. "It...it'll be okay," she crooned, her voice becoming higher pitched and more desperate as time wore on, "I can help you! You've...you've survived wounds much worse than this, haven't you? This...this is nothing! Nothing!" Tears were beginning to flood her eyes as InuYasha's became unfocused again, more blood bubbling out of his mouth as his head lolled.

"No! Don't go to sleep-_you can't sleep yet!_" Kagome cried, shaking his shoulders as she tried to keep the hanyou awake, tried to keep him conscious, tried to keep him _with _her. "We...we have so many plans, you and I-you _can't _sleep now! I was gonna stay with you...we...we were going to have a...a _family._" Kagome's voice choked off for a second, tears flooding her face as her conscious mind began to accept the inevitability of what was about to happen, though her heart still denied it. "I gave up _everything _to be with you...don't you die on me and make it all worthless!" Her voice choked again on the word _die, _making her feel like she was going to vomit. " I'm sorry I didn't help you," she groaned, wishing she could go back and undo what she had done, make it so she had fired that arrow instead of sitting there watching as her hanyou was pummeled, thrown and eventually stabbed. "Please," she begged, looking into the hanyou's brown eyes and fervently wishing they were gold, "_please _don't die on me. Don't leave me alone...I _need _you...I'll _always _need you..."

But despite her efforts, the hanyou's eyes became heavy lidded, his head lolling back as his body went limp. Blood stopped flowing past his lips as his face relaxed. Kagome's face became desolate even as she seized his shoulders and pulled him up, unwilling to let him go. "Don't go to sleep, InuYasha! No...NO! Wake up, _wake up!_" As she cried, she shook his shoulders, tears dropping onto the rough red fabric of his haori. All she got out of her shaking were a few head rolls as his head jerked limply to the left and right with her frantic motions. The miko let out a choking gasp as she leaned forward and kissed him roughly on the lips, trying to elicit some reaction out of him. When that didn't work, she became frantic, nipping his neck, kissing his face and even biting at his human ears, trying to get his attention, trying to get him to react, imagining him blustered and embarrassed because of her actions, devastated because it wasn't working.

Finally, her heart accepted the fact that InuYasha was gone. The sobs that she had tried so hard to keep suppressed broke free of her throat, tearing out of her in great wailing moans as she lifted his head and let it rest on her breasts, placing her cheek against his as she cried. There were no more words, nothing that could describe what she was feeling, that could describe this situation. She wailed and cried, as lost as she had ever been when InuYasha left her for Kikyou.

Behind her, she sensed the ominous presences of Mujōna and Kyūna-shi, still lurking behind her as they watched her cradle her hanyou's body, but she didn't care. If they came forth to kill her, let them. She didn't care. Everything she cared about: her world, her universe, her reason for being, lay dead in her arms.

**"So pathetic, don't you agree, Muj****ōna****?" **Kyūna-shi snickered, his eyes gleeful as he observed the pair in front of him; heard Kagome's sobbing wails and saw the limp movements of InuYasha's body as she rocked him back and forth.

"Which one?" she asked, her voice filled with malicious pleasure, "The whining little girl or the pitiful hanyou who was _so stupid _he couldn't even defend himself against a foe he _said _he would kill?" Mujōna laughed again, her face filled with utter contempt. "A baka like _that _one _deserved _to be sent to the grave!"

As the calloused words left Mujōna's mouth, Kagome's back went rigid, her softening sobs freezing in her throat. Slowly, she let the hanyou fall back onto the ground, his hair fanning out behind him in a great black wave. She turned, her movements stiff and jerky as her teary eyes found Mujōna's red ones. For a few seconds, she just stared at her, her chest heaving with breaths that came to her in great gasps, her eyes wide and wild. Mujōna smirked at her. What could one crying little girl do to her?

Then, Kagome screamed. It was terrible, a loud, shrilling wail that ripped through the strange violet twilight, clawing at the silence and tearing at the ears of those who remained in the village's fringes. She sprang to her feet, bow and arrow clutched tightly in her hands as she aimed and released with blinding speed, the arrow bursting into a brilliant streak of blue light as it streaked through the night, just barely missing the top of Mujōna's head as it soared through the air.

Mujōna smirked as she faced the huffing and panting girl in front of her. "Your aim sucks," she pointed out, her hands crossing over her chest. "You make for one pathetic warrior, you know. Most of us would just put the death behind us and carry one, but you..." Mujōna trailed off, shaking her head in a derogatory fashion.

Kagome glared at her, eyes blazing with wrath. "Would you like to put that theory to the test?" she hissed, her face twisting with the force of her anger. Mujōna snorted, thinking that Kagome was just being sarcastic.

"And what," she sighed, "would that entail, exactly?"

Kagome glared at her, her entire body quivering with mad energy as she spat, "The reason I 'missed' you was because _I wasn't aiming for you, baka!_"

Mujōna blinked, not comprehending what Kagome meant for a few seconds. Then, slowly, she turned around.

Kyūna-shi was swaying, his body wobbling like a tree that had been halfway cut down. His tongue flopped out of his mouth as he blinked, gazing first at Mujōna, then looking down at the white feathers that decorated the arrow that had struck him in the chest and sunk deep into his heart. Smoke was rising from the area around the arrow, the smell of rotting meat stretching through the battle-ground as a blue lightning bolt lanced from the end of the wooden shaft, lighting up the area around him as it stretched through his body. Kyūna-shi toppled to the ground as the arrow exploded in a burst of light, killing him instantly as it destroyed his filthy heart. His body lay on the ground for a few seconds before dissolving into shouki, fading into a skeleton, then the skeleton fading into nothing, leaving only a shining pink shikon-no-kakera behind.

Mujōna gawked at the spot where her cohort had been standing only a few seconds previously, her face shocked. Then, she turned back to Kagome, a tic going in her left eye as her red irises shone with a mad light. Kagome glared right back, her body still trembling.

Then, as one, the two women charged each other, weapons forgotten as their hands curled into claws, their mouths open in a unified shriek:

"MURDERER!"

The women collided and toppled to the ground, tearing, clawing, biting, kicking, both trying to kill her opponent with bare hands, both fighting for he who had been lost, both fighting down the sorrow in their hearts, drowning it with rage as they fought like animals, too far gone to care about survival anymore.

* * *

><p>Sango was faring badly against Kanna. She couldn't attack the mirror child without her Hiraikotsu getting reflected back at her, not to mention the fact that if she stood still for too long, the mirror would capture her image and her soul along with it. She and Kirara were zipping around from spot to spot, never resting for too long, Sango eying the mirror-child with a desperate eye, searching for something, <em>anything, <em>that could be a viable weak spot. But Kanna moved with them, her mirror flashing in the purple twilight as she countered every move they made. Not only that, but Kirara was getting tired with the constant weaving and ducking. If Sango didn't find a way to wrap this up soon, Kirara wouldn't last, and the pair of them would be doomed.

Then, just when Kirara looked like she was about to fall out of the sky, a flash of blue light sparked, then burst into a wave of energy. Kanna didn't even have time to turn around before the attack hit her, her body dissolving in a small wave of shouki as her mirror shattered, the souls inside of it spilling out, soaring towards the sky above as they headed to the rest that had been denied them. Sango landed, goggling at the broken mirror that lay in glittering fragments at her feet, her hands stroking the nekomata's sweaty fur as she flicked a glance left and right, searching for her savior.

Sesshoumaru materialized out of the darkness, each step filled with the grace and dignity a dai-youkai was supposed to possess. The youkai sword Tokijin was clutched in his one hand, his face emotionless as he surveyed the spot where Kanna had fallen. Jyaken could be spotted lurking around his lord's ankles, his bulging eyes flicking to his left and right constantly, as though he were afraid that something was going to leap out of the shadows and attack him.

"Human, where is Naraku?" Sesshoumaru asked, stopping a few feet away from the youkai taijiya and looking straight into her eyes. "This Sesshoumaru smelled his foul scent and came to uphold his promise to the hanyou. Where is he?"

Sango stared at him. "Naraku is _here?_"

Jyaken scoffed. "She won't be of any use to us, Sesshoumaru-sama. She's just your typical confused human female."

Sango stiffened and glared angrily at the imp staring imperiously up at her. But just when she was about to fire of a retort at the smug little toad-

A scream ripped through the strange twilight, sending chills down Sango's back and making Kirara snarl and Jyaken jump backwards, his face filled with fear. The scream was simultaneously despairing and furious, and the person behind that scream was...was...

"Kagome-chan," Sango whispered, her heart leaping into her throat. What could make her dear friend scream like that, so loud and distraught?

"Something has happened, this Sesshoumaru thinks," the dai-youkai stated. "We shall go investigate...if you are up to it, female."

"Of course I'm up to it!" Sango snapped. "Kagome-chan is my dearest friend. I would _never _leave her to deal with...with whatever happened, just because _I wasn't up to it_!"

"Hold your tongue when you talk-" Jyaken's castigation was cut short when Sesshoumaru raised one foot and kicked his retainer.

"Silence, Jyaken," he commanded, his voice never showing a flicker of emotion, though his eyes flashed with momentary annoyance. Then, without further ado, the inu-youkai headed off in the direction the scream had come from. Sango was about to head off when a shout hailed her from behind. Turning around, she saw Miroku heading towards her, his Shakujou tucked into the crook of his shoulder as his hands were occupied with something else. There was a shallow cut on his cheek and his robes were a little disheveled, but other than that he looked all right.

"I'm glad to see you're-" Sango cut herself off as she realized just what the houshi was carrying. Kohaku was lying in Miroku's arms, his protective filter missing from his face, his body strangely limp. With a strangled cry, the taijiya seized her little brother and held him.

"Don't worry, Sango," Miroku told her. "He's just unconscious. He was distracted by the scream, and I was able to seize the opportunity to knock him out. His head will be a little sore, but I think he'll be fine."

Sango nodded jerkily, then placed Kohaku onto Kirara's back, the neko purring and licking her cheek in a soothing manner as she did so. Then, she brandished her Hiraikotsu and charged after Sesshoumaru, Kirara following after her and Miroku following after Kirara.

When they found Sesshoumaru, he standing at the edge of a clearing, his eyebrow crooked at something he was watching. The two humans and the nekomata both searched for what he was looking for-and gasped when they found it.

Kagome and Kikyou were locked together in what was possibly the fiercest cat-fight in history. Neither miko wielded a weapon, both of them tearing at each other with bare hands. They flattened the grass beneath them as they tore and bit, shrieked and scratched, pummeled and kicked. Blood stained Kikyou's mouth, trailed down her fingernails, but there was clay and grit caking Kagome's hands, too. Both women grappled furiously, neither of them letting up on the other.

"What in the name of all that's holy...?" Miroku murmured, his amethyst eyes wide as he strode forwards, but stopped when the smell of rotting meat touched his nostrils. "Dear Buddha, what is that stench?" he choked, staggering backwards. Sango rushed forward and steadied his stumbling retreat, her nose wrinkling at the nauseating stench.

"Ōkami-youkai," Sesshoumaru stated. "It is the scent of ōkami-youkai. This Sesshoumaru thinks that the one known as Kyūna-shi died on this very spot."

The humans looked around for themselves, trying to find evidence to refute what Sesshoumaru had said. It was Miroku who pieced it together first, his brow furrowed. "If what you say is true, Sesshoumaru-sama, then it was most likely Kagome who brought him down, since there is no body left." Miroku's eyes went to the tumbling women still tearing ferociously at each other, his eyes contemplative. "Meaning that Kikyou-sama is possessed by Mujōna, and that is why she and Kagome-sama are fighting. After all, what does Mujōna care about more than anything else?"

The question hung in the air, and the obvious inverse to that statement ran in their minds. If Mujōna was fighting Kagome because the miko had killed Kyūna-shi, then why was Kagome fighting Mujōna?

"Miroku," Sango murmured, dread settling like a cold weight in the pit of her stomach, "you don't think..."

"That InuYasha was killed?" he asked quietly. "It seems to be a possibility."

"Enough. This Sesshoumaru grows impatient," the dai-youkai growled, and in a few seconds, he had crossed over to where the cat-fight was taking place. Raising one leg, he aimed a kick at Mujōna, dislodging her from Kagome and sending her flying. Kagome leaped to her feet and made to chase after her, as Mujōna was aiming to do as soon as she disentangled herself from the tree she had hit. Before Kagome could start chasing the youkai, however, Sesshoumaru blocked her path, towering over her, his eyes absolutely cold.

"Get out of my way!" she shrieked, pushing at the youkai's body, to no avail. "I'm going to _murder _that bitch! She _murdered _him! She _murdered _**him**! _I'm going to tear her out of Kikyou and rip her to shreds!_" Kagome was practically foaming at the mouth as she struggled to get past Sesshoumaru and resume her fight with Mujōna, fighting tooth and claw as her screams became louder and more maddening. Sesshoumaru didn't look impressed by Kagome's ranting yells. His eyes became even colder as he raised his one hand and slapped Kagome across the face. The miko's neck popped as she staggered backwards, falling to the ground with a sharp bump.

"Come to your senses," Sesshoumaru thundered as he strode closer to the miko, his eyes a mixture of fire and ice as he glared at her. "Is this what this Sesshoumaru's bastard brother would want of you? For you to throw your life and your sanity away in pursuit of his killer? Come to your senses!" The dai-youkai's hand flashed out and dragged Kagome up off her butt, leveling her eyes with Sesshoumaru's. "Take up your bow, miko. Clear your mind and find Naraku. This is what this Sesshoumaru's brother would want."

Kagome's bottom lip trembled as tears flooded her eyes again, her mouth opening and closing, though no words left her lips. Instead, a choking sob made its way out of her throat as the weight of InuYasha's death crashed over her again, driving out the anger and replacing it with despair. Sesshoumaru released her collar, sending her tumbling to the ground again, though this time she collapsed to the ground, seizing great tufts of green grass in her hands as she wailed to the sky, an eerie lament that made the humans shiver as they heard it. They started moving forward, their aim to comfort their friend in her grief, though what they could offer her, neither of them knew.

"Oh, Kagome-chan," Sango sniffed, tears beading at the edges of her own eyes, "I'm so sorry. I'm _so _sorry..." She dissolved into sobs as she mourned along with her wailing friend, mourned the fact that the man she had given everything up for was gone. Miroku wrapped his arm around her shoulder, gripping her tightly and letting her cry it out.

"As soon as we get Kagome-sama roused, we _will _have to try to find Naraku. It's the only thing we can-AAARGH!" Miroku suddenly went down with a yell, blood arching from a wound in his shoulder as a silvery flash of light was glimpsed streaking across the purple sky. Sango whirled around, supporting the houshi as she searched for the attacker.

Her internal organs seemed to freeze over when she realized that it was Kohaku who had attacked Miroku, having already sundered Kirara when he came to a few minutes previously, the nekomata yowling as she rolled about, blood streaming from the wound to her back. The kusarigama soared through the air and landed in his hand, its blade stained bright red with blood. His soulless eyes landed on hers, and she knew what he would be thinking: his next victim.

_'Why? Why, Kohaku? Why are you still not free?' _she lamented, even as she let Miroku fall to the ground, raising her Hiraikotsu to use as a shield and drawing her wakizashi, ready to fight her little brother. The younger youkai taijiya studied her for a few seconds more before he charged, the kusarigama whirling in a thrumming silver circle above his head. Sango paused, willing herself to do what was right before she charged. Miroku staggered to his feet, one bloody hand clutching his shoulder as the other clutched his Shakujou.

"Sango...no...don't dance to Naraku's tune!" he panted, feeling the pulse of blood beneath his hand as the wound given to him by the kusarigama continued to bleed out. With a small grunt, he tore off a long strip of cloth and made an impromptu field dressing, temporarily binding the wound and stopping the bleeding. When that was done, he made his way over to where Kagome was sitting now, oblivious to what was going on around her as she cradled her fallen hanyou, her wailing sobs rising in uneven chokes from her throat. Miroku noted with a pang of shock that the hanyou was human, his hair black, his claws and ears gone, his aura dispersed. _'That probably explains why he died so easily,' _he mused sadly. _'In his human form, InuYasha would have been much weaker and unable to protect himself. How could we not realize that tonight was the night of his weakness?'_

"Kagome-sama," he said, careful to keep his voice gentle as he approached the miko and placed one of his bloody hands on her shoulder. "Kagome-sama, you have to leave him. This isn't going to bring him back."

"No! I won't leave him! I won't ever leave him again!" Kagome howled, nuzzling InuYasha's face as more tears gushed down her cheeks, leaving two starry bright tracks down either side of her face.

"It's Naraku and Mujōna we need to deal with now," he told her. "Crying won't solve anything. Take this chance to avenge him, Kagome-sama. It will put your mind at-"

"NO IT WON'T!" Kagome shrieked, turning on Miroku with flames leaping in her brown eyes. Her reiki spiked, forcing the houshi back a pace or two as her anger flared. "Killing Naraku won't do anything! EVEN IF HE DIES, I STILL WON'T HAVE INUYASHA!" The last part of the sentence ended in another wail as she dissolved into sobs again, desperately pressing her lips against his cheeks, cuddling him so close it looked like she was trying to will her life and warmth into his body. Miroku knew a lost cause when he saw one, and it was better to leave Kagome alone to deal with this on her own than to try and force her to accept the truth when she obviously didn't want to. With one last pat to her shoulder, the houshi left her, turning towards the woman he loved and rushing forth to help her, guilt throbbing in his heart when he heard Kagome's sobs echoing piteously behind him as the miko mourned her one and only love.

* * *

><p>Mujōna's torn clothes fluttered in the wind behind her as she darted through the village, searching for a safe place to hide from Sesshoumaru. The dai-youkai had chased after her once she had realized just <em>who <em>had shoved her and Kagome apart and promptly fled the scene. Sesshoumaru had caught up to her easily, his claws scoring her host's body and severing one clay arm with a sound close to that of a smashing pot. She had hastily grasped the still bloody knife and swung it in his general direction, catching Sesshoumaru in the palm and causing a deep gash to open up on his hand. Hoping that would distract him for the crucial amount of time she would need to get away, Mujōna leaped away and ran pell-mell towards the forest surrounding the village, panting and blowing like a bellows, though her host had no lungs and didn't require air to operate.

Soon, the calm of the forest surrounded her, the green and purple shadows stretching out to embrace her. Mujōna slowed her frantic pace to a walk, idly wondering why Sesshoumaru had stopped chasing her. Her remaining hand caressed the stump of her arm, glad that her host couldn't feel pain like the other hosts she had.

Thinking of that reminded her of Kyūna-shi, which caused a pang of pain to reverberate through her heart, coupled with anger as she thought about the bitch who had killed him. _'Ky__ūna-shi__...Ky__ūna-shi__...why did you die? You were so strong and powerful...you crushed entire villages beneath your foot-paws! How could one stupid arrow kill you?'_

Finally, she stopped moving, her one hand moving to rest against a tree trunk. Her breath came in great gasps, doing nothing for her nerves since her host's body couldn't process the oxygen that soothed other beings. The wounds Kagome had given her didn't sting or bleed, but they wouldn't exactly heal, either. She'd probably go around looking like she'd gotten in a bad fight with a lioness for the rest of her time in Kikyou's body.

_'Maybe...maybe I should just get as far away as I possibly can. Somewhere Naraku will never find me. Somewhere where I can be __**safe.**__'_

"Unfortunately for you, Mujōna...there is no place on Earth where you could hide from me."

Before she could react, Naraku's tentacled hand seized her in a grip of steel, yanking her off the ground so quickly that it would have made a live being nauseous. She was turned around slowly, Naraku studying her like she was a bug in a jar.

"You have disobeyed my order, Mujōna," he purred, his voice almost affectionate. "I told you to destroy the village and its protectors, and you have not."

"I've done enough," she growled back, her remaining hand scrabbling at the tentacle holding her throat. "InuYasha is dead. Tonight was his night of weakness, and I stabbed him in the back."

Naraku quirked one brow at her, his face never changing from his smug smile. "Is that so? A stroke of luck like that doesn't make you useful to me, Mujōna."

Mujōna just snorted. "You can't kill me, Naraku. I contain your heart, and that makes me invulnerable. Admit it, Naraku. Even if I am useless, you can't kill me."

Naraku laughed and began to move, letting his shouki loose with a vengeance. All around him the flora wilted as whatever fauna was nearby died instantly, their flesh rotting away to reveal parched white bones. "My dear Mujōna...who said that I had to kill you to get you out of my way?"

Alarm flickered in Mujōna's eyes as she slowly took in what her one time master was saying. "No...you can't...don't send me back there!" she pleaded, all arrogance gone in the face of her greatest fear. "Don't send me back to the darkness, Naraku-sama! I'll...I'll do anything! _ANYTHING!_"

Naraku's smile became absolutely daemonic as he lifted his other hand, the fingers twisting and sharpening into tentacles, just like the other hands. "It's far, far too late for that now, Mujōna. You should have known that this wouldn't last forever. After all, there's only room for one in the world I will create."

The tentacles flashed out, pulverizing Kikyou's chest in an instant, digging through the dirt and bone fragments, searching for the tiny eel-like youkai that was, at the moment, frantically trying to find a way out of her host's body. She'd take blindness, deafness and muteness over being nothing any day. But, before she could escape, one of Naraku's tentacles hooked onto the end of her tail, yanking her out of her host's body and into the open air.

Naraku smirked at the slimy black youkai that he now held in his fist, then at the woman who was dangling from his tentacles, her eyes dull and almost lifeless.

"You never thought you would die like this, did you, Kikyou?" he asked, almost in a conversational way. "No, you thought you would live on, past me and past everybody else." He chuckled, watching as the light left her brown eyes, draining out like water drained out of a bucket with a hole in the bottom. "How does it feel, Kikyou, to know that you are heading to the grave again?"

Kikyou's lips quivered, then a single word left her mouth, barely audible as her tiny piece of soul left her clay body. "Free..." As the end of the word tailed off, her body crumbled into dust, leaving Naraku holding a torn haori and hakama as Kikyou's remains blew off into the distance. Naraku shrugged, then let the empty clothes fall to the ground.

"It's not the death I wanted for you, Kikyou...but it will have to do. I'm sure you have suffered enough these past few days." With that, Naraku turned away, his feet taking him towards the village where it had all begun...the village where he hoped it would end.

He looked down, studying the wriggling black youkai with interest. Mujōna was trying desperately to escape, wiggling madly as she searched for away to get free of Naraku's fingers. "Think of it this way, Mujōna," Naraku said, even though he knew the black youkai was unable to hear him, "you will join Kyūna-shi in Hell." Then, he started to concentrate.

The flesh of his hand bubbled as tendrils reached out and started wrapping themselves around Mujōna's body. The youkai squirmed and struggled, trying her utmost to break free from Naraku's grasp, but to no avail. Gradually, less and less of Mujōna's body was visible as the dark hanyou slowly absorbed his heart back into his body. He felt her struggling as her body rejoined his, felt something soft brushing on the edges of his consciousness as he and Mujōna briefly shared a mind. Then, there was silence. His flesh stopped bubbling, his hand returning to 'normal.' Mujōna's consciousness was gone, and Naraku was alone.

He moved forward, not looking back at the limp pile of clothes on the ground, moving slowly but surely to the group that still waited for him below.

* * *

><p>Sesshoumaru stopped chasing after Mujōna when he realized that she was heading towards Naraku. It would be better to face one such as he out in the open, rather than in the close confines of the forest. Not that he thought he would lose, because he wouldn't, but Sesshoumaru preferred the open field to the enclosed forest. He turned on his heel and flew swiftly back to where he had left his retainer and the humans, his mokomoko-sama flying out behind him like a magnificent banner.<p>

When he returned, it was to find that the two humans-the houshi and the taijiya-were still battling Naraku's boy servant, who seemed to be dancing rings around them as he whirled his kusarigama over his head, throwing it with terrible accuracy and carving deep wounds in the bodies of the humans. The miko was still where he left her, weeping bitter tears for his brother, whom she still cradled in her arms. Jyaken was standing on the edge of all the action, his eyes filled with trepidation. Upon sighting Sesshoumaru, he darted forward, his face joyous. "Sesshoumaru-sama! I am glad to see you're all right!" Then, the toad quickly dropped to his knees, mumbling, "F-Forgive me, my lord. I-I didn't mean to imply..." He trailed off, searching his master's face for any sign of an impending beating. When none showed itself, he calmed down and rose to his feet. "What now, my lord?" he asked, his voice grave.

"Naraku comes. His foul scent pollutes the air," Sesshoumaru replied, one hand straying to his sword. "We shall wait for him."

Jyaken visibly swallowed, though he tried to look brave. "O-Of course, Sesshoumaru-sama."

No sooner had the sentence left his mouth when a blast of purple shouki erupted from the fringes of the woodlands, sundering all the trees and any animals unlucky enough to be there. There was a flash, then one long tentacle flashed out, stealing through the shouki as it soared toward where the fight was taking place. There was a wet _SMACK, _and blood spurted through the air as it impaled Kohaku through the chest, right through the spot where the shikon-no-kakera that kept him alive was. Without pausing the tentacle retracted again, drawing the shard out with it. Kohaku wobbled for a few seconds, blood staining his front and back before he toppled to the ground, blood dripping from between his lips.

Sango stared for a few seconds before she rocketed forwards, Hiraikotsu falling to the ground as she caught the form of her little brother, cushioning his fall with her arms. "Kohaku," she managed to say, tears rising in her eyes as she beheld the pale form of her one and only little brother.

Kohaku was obviously dying, but he managed to focus on his sister, tears rising in the eyes that were clear for the first time since she had discovered that Naraku had resurrected him as his servant. One word managed to escape him before the terrible wound the dark hanyou had given him took its toll on his body: "A-Ane-ue..." Then, death claimed the young taijiya once more, sending him back to the grave that Naraku had dragged him out of.

Sango wept quietly, but knew that mourning must come later, when they were out of danger. When all this was over, and if she was still alive, then she would mourn. Now, however, mourning would make her slow and weak, and she would die, and then where would Kohaku be? She rose from where she had fallen, taking up her Hiraikotsu and turning blazing eyes toward the roiling cloud of shouki heading towards them. Naraku would pay, he would _rue the day _he decided to tear her family apart!

Behind her, Miroku was trying to rouse Kagome again, with little success. Nothing he said could convince her to mourn later and fight now. She and InuYasha had always been a team, and without the hanyou, the miko's fighting spirit was slowly dwindling away, shrinking into a forgotten corner of her mind.

Sesshoumaru ignored the lot of them as he waited for the dark hanyou to show himself. Really, were all these theatrics necessary? Naraku was obviously very confident about the upcoming fight if he was showing off like this.

All of the sudden, the shouki was sucked in like a vacuum had been turned on in the center of the giant cloud, swirling around a central point before dispersing to reveal Naraku. The dark hanyou smirked at them all, and it was obvious from the look on his face that he thought he had the upper hand, thought that none of the others stood a chance against him. In one bloody hand, he held two shards: the one he had just taken from Kohaku, and the one that had fallen on the ground when Kagome slew Kyūna-shi. In the other hand was the almost complete Shikon-no-Tama, its surface as dark as that night's moon as it radiated evil, reflecting its owners heart. Naraku brought his hands together, interlacing the fingers and hiding the ensemble from view. There was a loud _CRACK, _a flash of lightning arching over head as the jewel in his hands glowed white-hot with power, the dark hanyou cackling as the shards of the Shikon-no-Tama merged, reforging the jewel. When the tempest around him died down, Naraku was left holding the complete Shikon-no-Tama in his hands, his eye triumphant.

"I hold this power in my hands," he announced, "knowing that none of you can face me while I hold the complete Shikon-no-Tama. There is no power, no _Kami _or devil strong enough to defeat me now!" Naraku's eyes glowed red as he gloated shamelessly, the jewel in his hands crackling with power as if to prove his point. His eyes cast around them all, taking in the bloodstained and tired forms of his enemies. Then, his eyes found the place where Kagome was sitting. His eyebrows raised.

"So Mujōna was telling the truth," he murmured, as if talking to himself. "InuYasha truly is slain. She was better than I gave her credit for." With a small shrug, he turned to address Miroku, Sango, Kirara and Sesshoumaru, who stood in front of him.

"How will you fare without him, I wonder?" His eyes were contemplative as he studied the fighters in front of him. "The leader of your so-called group lies slain and you still face me?"

"This Sesshoumaru cares not about what happened to his brother," Sesshoumaru stated, reaching for the hilt of Tokijin and drawing it in one long, smooth arc. "All this Sesshoumaru cares about is regaining what you stole from him." The Tokijin's point was directed at Naraku, its owner's arm unfaltering and straight as an arrow. "Tonight you die, Naraku."

Naraku's eyebrow raised. "Is that a challenge, Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru didn't respond verbally to the taunt, but he charged forward, Tokijin whirling and sweeping in great silvery arcs as he swerved and weaved about the dark hanyou's body, trying to find a point of attack. After a few seconds of watching, Miroku and Sango joined in with him, both of them circling the hanyou and trying to find a breach in his barrier. Naraku laughed and laughed as he watched his enemies bounce off his barrier like rubber balls against a cement wall. It seemed that nothing really could touch him as they danced around him like moths around a flame, trying to touch him but unable to even reach him.

Naraku watched his enemies weakening as the shouki started spreading through their bodies, slowly but surely poisoning them. Sesshoumaru was the only one not affected by the poison, but even the dai-youkai had his limits as to how long he could attack, as Naraku gleefully observed. The dark hanyou was drunk on his power, on the power of the Shikon-no-Tama that radiated through his body. His confidence was way past the danger point, but to Naraku, there _was _no danger point. There was no-one who could oppose him, so there was no reason to fear being defeated, was there?

A spark of light caught the corner of his eye, causing him to turn and frown at whatever caused it. A brilliant burst of light emanated from the same spot a split second later, the pure blue light cutting through the purple darkness, searing the strange night and burning Naraku's eyes. The streak of light hit Naraku's barrier straight on, destroying it in a split second. Naraku hissed, letting a cloud of shouki surround him, enshielding him from the eager attackers on either side of him. It worked for the humans and for Kirara, but not for Sesshoumaru. The inu-youkai soared forwards and swung Tokijin in a mighty arc, the youkai sword cleaving straight through Naraku's bony shoulder-plate and tearing a deep gash in his skin. Naraku's strange blood gushed forth, a mixture of the blood of many different youkai that all composed his body. Naraku roared and leaped away, drawing more shouki about his body, trying to call up as shield while he retreated.

Another streak of light soared toward him, hitting the wound in his shoulder and making it burn with painful purity. The shouki he had wrapped around his body dispersed like smoke in the wind, revealing the form of his attacker. For a few wild seconds he saw Kikyou standing there, her black longbow clutched in her hand as she regarded him with a stare as cold as ice.

A few seconds later, his vision cleared, revealing his attacker's true form.

Kagome had risen from the spot where InuYasha had fallen once more, her eyes clear not only of tears, but of all emotion. She was so similar to Kikyou at that moment that all who beheld her privately fought shivers of fear. The miko was entirely alien to them, terrifying in her stoic calmness, the polar opposite of the shrieking wails that had characterized her for the last few hours. Her red bow was in her hand, not clutched desperately or held loosely, but purposefully, as if her mind had cleared of all hassles.

"Bitch," Naraku hissed. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

Kagome was unshaken, looking upon Naraku not as if he were her equal, but as if he were nothing more than the lowliest bug that ever crawled through the mud. "Yes," she intoned, her voice as empty as her eyes. "But that is your failing, Onigumo. You can reach for the stars all you want, but you will never go beyond the mud of this Earth."

Naraku stiffened, his red eyes flashing as his hand went to the arrow in his shoulder, trying to pry it loose and hissing when it rejected him, the flash of light searing his hand and burning it, making the flesh sizzle and rot slightly. "You _dare _use that name to address Naraku?" he snapped, terrible in his fury. Shouki twisted and snapped around him, a storm cloud that perfectly represented the dark pit in his heart.

"Yes, you pitiful worm," the miko told him, eyes narrowing. "Murdering half-breed! Onigumo!" Kagome drew another arrow from her quiver and nocked it to the string, drawing it back to her ear and staring at Naraku down its length. "I will kill you and end what started fifty years ago, Onigumo. End what should have ended back in that dank cave, when you were helpless and Kikyou had to spoon-feed you!"

"ENOUGH!" Naraku bellowed, his eyes widening angrily as he whipped his arm forward to strike her dead, like he had done to her previous incarnation. She watched him impassively, watched as his tendril smashed against the side of a barrier he hadn't known existed, the barrier burning him like her arrow had before. She aimed the arrow straight for the place where she knew his dark heart was beating, her face as impassive as Sesshoumaru's, though tears were glimmering in her brown eyes. The arrow shone with power, gleaming like a star that had streaked down from the heavens to land on the arrow's metal tip. Time slowed for the miko as she watched the dark hanyou staring at her, as if he could _will _her to stop and back away, to drop the arrow and become a weak little girl once again.

"InuYasha," she murmured, and released the arrow. It exploded into a bright streak of light as it soared, as terrible and beautiful as a falling meteor as it streaked towards Naraku's chest. It struck him right in the middle of the terrible eye that decorated his chest, soaring straight through his body and blasting a huge chunk out of his back. For a few seconds, it looked like it hadn't worked, like Naraku might recover and start attacking them again. Then, a single curse that no-one could hear left his lips, as, like his incarnations before him, his body started to dissolve into purple shouki. But this shouki was weak, poisonless, dissolving all too easily in the soft breeze that drifted through the land.

For a few seconds after his death, nothing happened, making the whole experience seem like a dream. Then, much like the arrow had torn through Naraku, the sun tore through the constricting purple clouds, its shining golden face dispelling the last dregs of evil that still haunted the land, blinding all the people who stood beneath its radiant face.

"So it's over," Miroku finally stated, his quiet words stretching across the land like the loudest shout. Kagome's shoulders, which had been so proud and arrogant a few minutes previously, slumped inwards as whatever had possessed her for those few minutes left her forever. The tears still glimmered in her eyes, threatening to overtake her again.

"Maybe it is for you," she whispered, "but I don't think it will be for me."

* * *

><p>kusarigama-chain scythe<p>

_A/N: Hang in there, folks! There are more surprises to come!_


	40. Aftermath

Naraku was dead.

That one fact was simple, so simple it was almost ridiculous, and yet it was the hardest fact the group had ever had to face. Hours worth of tracking, days worth of scouring, months worth of fighting, all of it finished in a matter of minutes. The Shikon-no-Tama sat glimmering in the place where Naraku had fallen, a symbol of that one fact.

Naraku was dead.

Miroku's curse was lifted. He checked on it shortly after the sun had burst through the clouds. Upon lifting the beads away from his hand, he discovered that the yawning hole Naraku's curse had carved into his hand was gone, his palm as clear and unblemished as if it had never been touched by the Kazaana. For a long time he just stared at his empty palm, his face blank with shock.

Naraku was dead.

Sango was kneeling beside the body of her dead brother, Kirara sitting on her shoulder. The neko was mewing softly in her ear and rubbing her tails against her face, trying to comfort her mistress. Sango knew she should feel relieved, should feel happy that it was over at last. After all, she was free to marry Miroku and start a new life now. Yet, when she looked down upon the pitifully small body of Kohaku, all she felt was the throbbing loneliness she always felt when she realized she was the last of the youkai taijiya, though now it was worse since Kohaku had returned to being dead.

Naraku was dead.

If Sesshoumaru had any good or bad feelings about the whole event, he didn't show them. He just sat on a rock near to the place where Naraku had fallen, his face turned toward the rising sun, Jyaken at his feet. The dai-youkai appeared to be in deep thought, and no-one wanted to interrupt him. Bad things happened to those who got on the wrong side of the youkai lord.

Naraku was dead.

Kagome...there were no words to describe how Kagome was feeling. The miko was just standing in the same place where she had been when she had shot the arrow that had killed Naraku, her face blank, her eyes dry. Her friends didn't know what was worse: Kagome's shrieking sobs, her raging madness, her cool righteousness or her silent emptiness. She was without a doubt the one who was suffering the most. Her soul-mate had died in this fight, and there was nothing in the world that could fill in the gap that was left behind.

Naraku was dead, and yet no-one felt like celebrating.

After a fashion, Kagome turned her back on the scorched earth that marked the spot where Naraku had fallen, her hair swirling in the breeze as she walked back to the spot that she had occupied for most of the fights: the place where Mujōna had stabbed InuYasha, and the place where _he_ had fallen. The hanyou was still sprawled there, his hair fanned out on the ground, his face turned towards the rising sun. Kagome approached him, her mind elsewhere as her feet moved almost of their own accord. A shimmer on the ground suddenly caught her attention, drawing her mind out of the dark pit it had currently been sulking in.

The sunlight was glinting off the fallen hanyou's hair, making it look almost like the silver mane she loved so much. Upon closer inspection, Kagome realized with a jolt that it was shifting, the black color fading away as the silver color became brighter and brighter. His ears began rolling up the sides of his head, steadily growing more pointed and fuzzy as they made their way to their rightful place atop his cranium. The blunt nails on his hands stretched out into ferocious claws, and she thought she saw the shape of his jaw changing, like it was adjusting to fit fangs instead of normal canines. Her hanyou was back in the form she loved the most, and yet Kagome couldn't be happy. She reached out and stroked an ear, tears beading in her eyes. "Why couldn't you have transformed earlier?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and sadness. "Why couldn't you have just _listened _to me, baka? Why couldn't you let your stupid pride go and _run?_" She knew that there would be no answer coming her way, but she couldn't help it. Her heart had always been such a grabby thing, and it would never let the hanyou go, no matter what. Nothing would change that, not even Naraku's death.

Miroku watched his friend as she pulled InuYasha closer to her heart, his mane cascading over the side of her lap like a silver-crested waterfall, one hand stretched out on the ground underneath him, barely visible because of the way Kagome was sitting. The houshi sighed, feeling the weight of depression upon his heart like a two-ton cloak that had been draped around his shoulders. Striding forward, he reached the middle of the lifeless crater where Naraku had fallen, his eyes upon the sparkling pink object at its epicenter. The Shikon-no-Tama sparkled, as bright and beautiful as if Naraku had never touched it, the purity that had murdered the evil hanyou clearing out any trace of evil like rain washing away debris. The houshi reached out and picked it up with the hand that had once been cursed, the power the jewel contained suddenly coursing through his body like an electric charge. Miroku had long since learned not to be tempted by the powers of the Shikon-no-Tama, though, and tucked it into his robes without further ado.

Sesshoumaru watched him, his eyes expressionless. Miroku felt the dai-youkai's stare and turned back, shivering slightly as his amethyst eyes met Sesshoumaru's golden ones. "May I ask why you're staring at me, Sesshoumaru?" he asked, his voice a cross between faintly amused and wary.

"You are a part of this group, and yet you do not mourn like the others," Sesshoumaru observed, brows twitching slightly in a faint expression of surprise. "Are the fallen members not dear to your heart, houshi?"

A flicker of pain swam across Miroku's violet irises for a split second before vanishing again. "Of course I mourn them. But I also realize that life must go on, regardless of what is lost along the way. My teachings have told me thus. This does not mean that I do not feel pain." His eyes flicked to where Sango was sitting as he said this, watched her as she stared at her brother's still form, her hand mindlessly stroking Kirara's creamy fur. "No, I am certainly capable of feeling pain," he stated sadly.

"Hn." The inu-youkai shifted back on the rock where he had been sitting, sunlight glinting off the hilts of his swords.

The flash of light caught Kagome's eye, and she turned to see what it was. She saw the swords that decorated Sesshoumaru's hip and gasped, her heart pounding. It wasn't the evil Tokijin that held her gaze, but the sword beneath it, the katana that was brother to the Tetsusaiga, the healing sword Tenseiga. Her eyes widened as she continued to stare at the katana's hilt. Then, she was up and barreling towards the inu-youkai, her eyes taking on the same crazed look they'd had when she and Mujōna had tried to tear each other apart. Sesshoumaru noticed this and rose from the rock, ready to try and stop her in case she tried something crazy. Jyaken also noticed Kagome, and moved to intercept her.

"What are you doing, you crazy-" Jyaken's sentence was cut off as Kagome bowled him over, practically trampling the poor imp as she made a beeline for the dai-youkai. With a resounding _THUD, _she smacked head on into the armor plate covering Sesshoumaru's midriff, staring up into his impassive golden eyes.

"Sesshoumaru, your Tenseiga! Use your Tenseiga to revive InuYasha-_please!" _she begged, her hands clawing at Sesshoumaru's armor. Miroku heard Kagome's desperate voice and turned around, his eyes going from confused to shocked in a split second as he viewed the miko prostrating herself before Sesshoumaru, her nails raking his armor as her voice raised in a wail. "Please-_PLEASE! _Please revive InuYasha! _Please!_"

Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl, watching as her nails created shallow marks in the dark armor covering his middle, her face growing more and more despondent as he failed to respond. He knew she was grasping at straws now, clutching at anything that could mean the return of her hanyou. The only thing was-did he want to revive his brother?

"Sesshoumaru." Miroku was standing next to the dai-youkai now, looking upon him as an equal, his back straight and proud. Gently, he seized Kagome's hands and pulled her off the youkai, pulling her back against his own chest. She protested weakly, staring at Sesshoumaru like she could _will_ him to wield the sword that would save her love. "Even if it isn't possible, please try. It could help her." _'Or it could make her worse,' _he amended in his head. But they _had _to try-they _had to! _But if he didn't...

"If you don't want to help us, Sesshoumaru...there's always this." Miroku drew the Shikon-no-Tama out of his robes, its pink surface catching the sunlight and splitting it into every color of the rainbow as it shimmered with power. Sesshoumaru actually growled at it, his brows pulling down slightly as he glared at the pink object. Kagome stared at the jewel for a few seconds before reaching out with her hands, only to push the Shikon-no-Tama away.

"No...I won't use the Shikon-no-Tama, Miroku-sama," she said, her voice more calm now. "That jewel is stained with blood, and it _never _grants your wishes the way you want them to be granted. If I used it to bring InuYasha back, he would be...wrong. I _know _it."

"Put that away," Sesshoumaru commanded, a growl lining the undertone of his words. "This Sesshoumaru will not look upon anything that Naraku craved." The tone of his voice ended the argument right then and there, and Miroku tucked the jewel back into his robes, trying not to look too hasty when he did so. That said and done, Sesshoumaru redirected his attention to the miko standing beside the houshi.

"This Sesshoumaru has decided that he will try to revive his bastard brother. But I will warn you now, miko," he added when Kagome's eyes brightened, "Tenseiga cannot save every life that is lost. There is every possibility that he cannot be saved-will you be ready in case that happens?" A thousand different emotions flickered across Kagome's eyes before her jaw firmed and she nodded. Miroku smiled at her, trying to hide the worry that was running rampant through his body. If this didn't work, where would she be then?

Sesshoumaru turned toward his brother's body, his only hand resting on Tenseiga's hilt as he started to move forward. Kagome rushed to stay beside him, obviously trying not to look too excited as they started moving towards the spot where InuYasha lay. Miroku went along with them as well, ready to offer emotional support (if needed-which it probably would be).

Upon seeing the hanyou lying sprawled upon the ground, Sesshoumaru halted, his face almost truly surprised. Miroku looked absolutely astonished, his eyebrows practically disappearing into his hair as he took in the hanyou's appearance.

"He transformed back?" the houshi asked. Kagome nodded, moving down to pull the hanyou close to her body again. Sesshoumaru looked down at his brother, flickers of surprise crossing his eyes again and again, as if the dai-youkai were having a hard time masking the emotion. Then, he leaned down, his nostrils twitching as he sniffed at InuYasha's prone form, tilting one of his ears closer as if he were listening to something no-one else could hear.

"This Sesshoumaru cannot revive him," he stated, drawing up to his full height. Kagome looked outraged, heartbroken and shocked, all at the same time. She pulled InuYasha's head closer to her chest, her mouth working as she tried to find the words she couldn't say, tried to find a way to express her emotions.

"Why not?" she finally managed, tears oozing out of her eyes, despite her best efforts to keep them contained. The corner of Sesshoumaru's mouth twitched imperceptibly, as if he was fighting back a smirk of satisfaction.

"He cannot revive that which still lives," he told her, his tone of voice suggesting that this was an obvious fact. "It is redundant."

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Kagome blinked, her face as blank as if both her ears were deaf and she hadn't heard a single word that Sesshoumaru had spoken. Miroku stared at him also, the expression on his face suggesting that Sesshoumaru's words were in some foreign language he couldn't even begin to understand. Then, slowly, like the rising sun had chased away the dark clouds, hope dawned on Kagome's face, brightening her eyes and tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"InuYasha...is _alive?_" she asked, her voice a mixture of incredulity and utter happiness. Sesshoumaru looked down at his brother, nudging his calf with the toe of his foot.

"Barely, this Sesshoumaru thinks. The wound his human form received would have been enough to kill any ordinary human, but for that stubborn half-breed..." Sesshoumaru trailed off, regarding his brother with an assessing stare.

"Are you sure about that?" Miroku demanded, his amethyst eyes narrowed. Sesshoumaru turned to glare at him, his eyes flashing red for a split second. Miroku swallowed and backed away a step. No need to make Sesshoumaru mad...

"Do not take this Sesshoumaru for a fool," Sesshoumaru growled, his brow furrowing ever so slightly. "If InuYasha had been slain, he would not have transformed back into himself when the sun rose. His youkai powers would have faded away with his human life, and would not have returned with the sun. No, the hanyou survives still...but for how much longer, this Sesshoumaru does not know."

Alarm flickered across Kagome's eyes for a split second before her face became determined. She lifted one of the hanyou's arms and draped it around her shoulders, obviously intending to pick him up off the ground. However, InuYasha was bigger and heavier than Kagome, so it was slow going, with a lot of staggering and panting on Kagome's part. Miroku quickly darted forward to help as best he could with a wounded shoulder. He caught a glimpse of the bloody wound on the hanyou's back and shuddered. The fact that InuYasha had survived the attack was nothing short of incredible. But, seeing as this _was _InuYasha they were talking about, Miroku supposed that was to be expected.

"We need to take him to Kaede-ba-chan's," Kagome stated, striding forward with purpose in her steps and strength in her shoulders. "By all the Kami in the heavens, I swear to stay by InuYasha's side and do everything I can to heal him, no matter how long it takes." Her eyes flashed as she said this, revealing just how much effort she was ready to put into saving the hanyou. Miroku nodded his agreement with her statement and the pair of them hoisted the hanyou up higher, heading towards the building where Kaede and Shippou were, trying to move as fast as they could. Every second counted, and they wanted to make the best of each and every one.

Sesshoumaru watched them for a few seconds, his face impassive. Then, he turned gracefully on his heel and started toward the edge of the village. His trail took him past Sango, who was still sitting next to Kohaku, oblivious to all that had gone on around her. Upon feeling the dai-youkai's youki brushing her body like a cold front, she stiffened slightly, turning so that one eye landed upon his back. "Sesshoumaru," she called, her voice assertive. The dai-youkai stopped, also turning so that one golden eye met hers.

Further ahead, Jyaken huffed angrily. Really, all these humans addressing his lord so...so _informally. _How crude of them! _'And Sesshoumaru-sama does nothing to castigate them...what is he thinking?' _he grumbled internally, then winced as Sesshoumaru glared at him.

"This Sesshoumaru knows what you want, taijiya, and he will tell you right now that there is nothing on this Earth that can save your fallen comrade." Sesshoumaru's glance flicked down to Kohaku's body for a split second before continuing. "Tenseiga is not a Kami's instrument, and miracles are named such because they can only be performed once. He has already been called back from death once before, so all that remains for him is his final rest, taijiya." With that, Sesshoumaru turned back and strode away, his mokomoko-sama flicking out behind him as Jyaken hurried after him, mumbling something about finally getting on with leaving. The dai-youkai would never state it out loud, but he was rather worried about leaving Rin on her own. He headed into the forest and disappeared with a swish of his mokomoko-sama, vanishing just as suddenly as he had appeared.

Sango felt tears trail softly down her cheeks. She had been expecting Sesshoumaru's answer, but that didn't make the pain of Kohaku's death any less. Reverently, she lifted her brother's body off the ground and cradled him close to her chest. Kirara looked up at the taijiya, her head cocked as she regarded her with a sad red stare. "Kirara, take me to our village," she ordered softly. "That's where we'll put Kohaku to rest." The nekomata nodded and transformed, and, with a soft _whoosh, _the last of the youkai-taijiya headed towards her home village on the back of her faithful neko, ready to put her last family member to rest.

* * *

><p>Night had fallen outside the hut, but Kagome barely noticed it, so busy was she with doctoring InuYasha's hurts. Because of the way Mujōna had twisted the knife, it was hard to stitch the wound together, but, with some help from Kaede, Kagome managed it. After she had successfully sewn the gaping wound together, she slathered it with a medicinal salve and bound the hanyou's torso with bandages to protect it from infection. Then, she started washing his bloody haori and kosode, scrubbing at them like there was no tomorrow, working tirelessly to remove all traces of blood from them. When she was done, she even went and carefully scrubbed the blood out of his silver mane, making sure not to jostle him too much and disrupt the healing process. After she was finished, the miko started looking for other things to do to help InuYasha, her search becoming almost frantic as she did so.<p>

"Kagome, you have done enough, child," Kaede told her, the tone of her words a cross between concerned and chastising. "There is nothing left for you to do except let nature take its course. InuYasha will heal with time, and all we can do now is pray for his swift recovery."

Kagome's jaw tightened as she reached out and gently stroked one of her hanyou's silver ears. "There has to be _something,_" she complained. "Isn't there _anything _else I can do for him, Kaede-ba-chan?"

Kaede smiled at the young miko, her one eye twinkling. "Stay with him, Kagome. That is all he needs."

Kagome thought about it for a few seconds before smiling softly. "I plan to," she murmured, her hand stroking his hair as she smiled down at her beloved hanyou.

The reed mat covering the door shuffled slightly as Shippou returned from his outing, a few bottles of water clutched in his paws and bamboo tubes slung over his back. The kitsune's tiny face was worried as he hopped over to where Kagome was sitting, dropping all the water containers in the floor as he leaped onto Kagome's shoulder.

"Is InuYasha going to be okay?" Shippou demanded, his tail wiggling with worry. Kagome dithered on several answers before deciding on the truth.

"I don't know, Shippou," she told him, her heart throbbing painfully in her chest. "InuYasha was wounded in his human form, and I don't know how that will affect him as a hanyou. Hopefully, his youkai powers will let him heal faster than ordinarily, but..." The miko let the sentence trail off, unable to finish it. She told herself that everything would be okay, but the fierce depression that had been dogging her ever since Mujōna stabbed InuYasha threatened to drive the hope out of her heart like a flood threatening to drown out a small candle. Reaching out, she carefully gathered up the hanyou's head and let it rest in her lap, watching him for any signs of life. When none presented themselves, she sighed and leaned back against the wall, feeling all the stress and misery of the day wash over her like a tidal wave of darkness.

_'Please,' _she prayed fervently, _'If ever I needed divine intervention, it's now. Please save InuYasha, dear Kami. Please.'_

* * *

><p><em>AN: After seeing the strong reactions you guys had to the previous chapter, this one practically wrote itself. Hope you liked it. ;)_


	41. For My Loved One

To say that Kagome was sweating rivers of blood in order to save InuYasha would have been the understatement of the century. The miko barely ate or slept as she cared for the hanyou night and day, driving herself into the ground as she fought tooth and claw to save her soul-mate's life. Her diligence at caring for his wound and for making sure he got food and water was dancing the dangerously thin border between devotion and obsession. When Miroku tried to point this out to her, Kagome's reaction was to snap at the houshi and chase him away like he was an unwelcome intruder on her territory.

Shippou was prancing anxiously outside the hut, his tiny face contorted with worry. When Miroku exited the hut, his face grave, the kitsune's first reaction was to assume that InuYasha had died. With a wail of grief, he launched himself at Miroku, burying himself in the houshi's robes.

"It's all right, Shippou," Miroku soothed, gently prying the kitsune off his clothes. "InuYasha hasn't left this world yet. It's Kagome-sama that has me worried."

Shippou sniffled and wiped his nose on his sleeve. "What's wrong with Kagome?"

Miroku shifted the kitsune to his shoulder as he walked around to where Kaede's herb garden was situated, where the aged miko herself most likely was. "Kagome-sama is so devoted to healing InuYasha that she refuses to take care of herself. If she keeps going like this, sooner or later she herself will fall ill."

Shippou's emerald eyes immediately widened with sudden worry. "Then we should tell her that so she doesn't get sick!" he cried, his tail wiggling with alarm. Miroku sighed, a sad smile crossing over his face. It was hard to forget that by youkai standards, Shippou was still a child. That was mainly because, more often than not, he acted much older than his 'actual' age would suggest.

"I did tell her that, Shippou. Kagome-sama got mad at me because, in her eyes, I was trying to stop her from caring for InuYasha." By the end of Miroku's sentence, Shippou's expression had shifted from worry to confusion.

"Why would Kagome think that? She's not a baka like InuYasha," he thought aloud, his tail twitching again. Then, before Miroku could think up a reply, a different voice interjected itself into their conversation.

"Kagome feels that it is her fault that InuYasha was wounded." Miroku looked up to see that he had arrived at the herb garden, and that it was Kaede who had spoken to him, not looking up from her task of plucking different herbs out of the ground as she spoke. "She told me that she had tried to make InuYasha escape to safety when he transformed, but he refused. Shortly afterward, he was stabbed. Now Kagome thinks the only way she can make it up to him is by sacrificing her own health to save his life." The aged miko sighed as she looked at her earth-stained hands, her expression sad. "She has chosen to put all the blame on her shoulders and won't listen to any voice that says otherwise."

"But you guys told me she killed Kyūna-shi _and _Naraku!" Shippou argued, his tiny brow puckering. "Why would that make her feel bad?"

Kaede sighed as she pushed herself to her feet, grunting at the protest of her old bones. "Shippou, be not a fool. Kagome would never trade victory against Naraku for InuYasha's life."

As abruptly as it had risen, the kitsune's irritation vanished, making him deflate like a balloon with a hole in the side. "I...yeah, that's..." Shippou couldn't think of what to say and ended up trailing off, tears glittering in his eyes again. Miroku gently patted the kit's head with his formerly cursed right hand, trying to comfort him while reigning in his own sorrow and worry.

Sango was missing. After helping Kagome drag InuYasha into Kaede's hut, the houshi had walked out to try and find his fiancée. He knew she had been hurting because of Kohaku's second death, but realizing that she, Kirara and Kohaku's body were gone was close to being the greatest shock of his life, second only to his father's horrific death. He had an inkling as to where the taijiya might have gone, but without sufficient transport, Miroku had no hope of catching up to her-not for lack of trying. He had almost made it to the edge of InuYasha's forest by the time a wailing Shippou had caught up with him, begging him not to leave like the others. Miroku had been torn, but in the end, he decided to stay in the village of the Bone-Eater's Well with his friends and look after them. Yet his heart still yearned to rove, to seek out that stubborn taijiya he loved so much. With each day that passed his patience wore thin as his concern for Sango's well-being grew.

"Miroku? Are you okay? You have a really funny look on your face," Shippou commented, moving up to sit on the houshi's head so he could fix him with an upside-down stare. Miroku blinked rapidly, stirred out of his reverie.

"I'm...fine, Shippou," he lied, quickly veiling his amethyst eyes with his eyelashes, lest the kitsune should be able to discern how he _really _felt. It may have fooled the kit, but Kaede wasn't so easy to deceive.

"Sango will return, houshi-sama," she told him, gathering her herbs as she made her slow way back to her hut. "Have faith in her feelings."

Miroku didn't reply, prompting Shippou to ask, "Does that mean you _don't _have faith in her feelings, Miroku?"

Ten seconds later Shippou was running, small puffs of dirt wafting around his paws, wailing as no less than half a dozen ofuda threatened to singe his tail as they whizzed through the air, thrown by an irate Miroku. The expression upon the houshi's face was a stark contrast to the serene calm he usually wore. His amethyst eyes glinted with rage, the purple fire speaking for his actions in a shouting roar: _You have gone too far._

_'Yes, I have faith in her feelings,' _he thought, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he wrestled his temper back into some semblance of control, _'yet I still am not sure what she'll do now...'_

Shaking his head to try and clear his thoughts, Miroku followed after Kaede, pushing aside the reed mat covering the door to her hut and entering. Kaede sat in the middle of the room, a pot filled with water put over the fire to boil as she commenced chopping up some of the herbs she had picked. If Miroku had to guess, he would say that the old miko was preparing more of the unguent for InuYasha's wound.

Thinking of the hanyou drew the houshi's eyes over to the form of the first real female friend he'd made in his life. Kagome was sitting with her back propped up against the wall of the hut, facing the futon where InuYasha had been resting ever since they'd dragged him in here after Sesshoumaru pronounced him alive. By tilting his head, Miroku could see that Kagome had twined her fingers with InuYasha's, though his hand was still limp. Miroku shifted slightly, feeling the pain of her suffering as if it were his own. She noticed the movement and turned to look at him.

"Miroku-sama?" she whispered, her voice hoarse. Miroku was startled by how pale and gaunt Kagome looked, with deep purple crescents marking the hollows under her eyes and a soft trembling making her hand shake as she reached up to rub her face. The miko looked so fragile and weak that Miroku had the feeling that if he reached out and pushed her over, Kagome would fall and break into a thousand pieces like a china figure. It wasn't just her physical appearance that made her look breakable, though: the sadness haunting her normally bright brown eyes made her look like a whipped dog, broken in both body and spirit.

"Hai, Kagome-sama," he replied, careful to keep his voice low and even. "How's InuYasha doing?"

Tears beaded in the corners of the miko's exhausted eyes as she looked down at her hanyou. "He's breathing, but his heartbeat sounds so...so faint..." she trailed off, a sob strangling itself in her throat as she pulled InuYasha's clawed hand closer to her chest.

"I'm sorry," Miroku said gravely, scooting closer to where Kagome was situated and carefully placing an arm around her shoulders. "I _am _praying for his recovery, if that's any consolation."

Kagome sniffled and wiped her eyes on her sleeve again, obviously trying to get her tears under control. "Thank you, Miroku-sama...and...and...I'm sorry," she managed to croak, coughing softly into a hanky she somehow managed to produce, though from where, Miroku had no idea.

"Why in the world would you, of all people, be sorry, Kagome-sama?" Miroku asked incredulously, standing up to fetch some water for the miko who had rather obviously gone too long without it. He handed her the ladle as he sat down beside her, watching her swallow each mouth-full with the utmost care.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you," Kagome replied when she had drained the ladle. Her eyes moved down to study her hands as she went on, "You've been so worried about me-about _both _of us. And all I did was shout at you when you were only trying to help. I...I was _selfish._" The self-loathing that rose in her voice made the houshi flinch.

"No, Kagome-sama, you weren't selfish. You were just trying to protect InuYasha, and I for one know that we tend to get a little..._reckless _when it comes to those we love." Miroku chuckled inwardly at the truthfulness of that statement. He _still _wasn't above making a trip to the village of the youkai taijiya...

Kagome's lips twitched as if she were about to smile before the sadness overwhelmed her face again. Leaning over, she rested her cheek against InuYasha's bare chest and closed her eyes, keeping his hand pressed against her heart. "I just want him back," she said, her voice filled with the same loneliness it had possessed when Mujōna had been resting inside her body. "I want him to move around and speak to me again. I don't even think I'd mind if he started yelling at me, just as long as he was alive, I wouldn't care!" A bitter sob rose up in her throat, coming out in a strangled yelp as she fought against the tears that struggled to rise. Miroku put his hands on her shoulders and gently pulled her away from the hanyou's prone form.

"I think you could use a little fresh air, Kagome-sama," he murmured. "Come with me, if you please." The houshi rose to his feet and turned for the door, a small smile tugging at his lips when he realized that the miko was following him. Kagome _could _use some fresh air, not to mention food and a few hours of sleep before she collapsed from any combination of those factors. If the hanyou learned what Kagome had been doing to herself in order to save his life, he would surely throw the hissy fit of the decade.

Miroku paused as he approached the small stream running through the center of the village. The thought that had passed through his head had given him an idea. An idea that, admittedly, probably should have come to him earlier.

_'I think __**this **__will convince her to start taking care of herself again...' _he mused. _'Now, how to bring it up so it sounds convincing?'_

They sat down beside the little stream, watching the waters as they gurgled through the village, sparkling brightly in the moonlight as they wound their way onwards. Miroku watched Kagome as she let out a small sigh, her gaze fixed on the sparkling water as tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. Perhaps she was thinking about how a certain inu-hanyou's mane looked when it was awash with moonlight?

"Kagome-sama, forgive me for my intrusion," he began, idly hoping that Kagome would stay calm this time, "but I sincerely think that you should take better care of yourself. I am glad that you care for InuYasha so much, but killing yourself is not a good way to go about reviving him."

Kagome stiffened, her eyes flashing slightly as she turned to face Miroku. Before the houshi had time to feel afraid, however, the miko abruptly deflated, her eyes moving back to the sparkling stream water once more.

"Why should I?" she asked. "I know he's run himself ragged for me-why shouldn't I devote every ounce of life in my body to him? I would give it all and more in a single heartbeat if it meant InuYasha lived."

Miroku reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, his lips quirking up in a small smile. "We all know that you would. But would InuYasha want you to do that?" When Kagome started and looked at Miroku like he was an alien, he knew he had her attention. "Indeed, I know you wouldn't hesitate to give your life for his, but think of this: if you did, where would that leave my hanyou friend? How would he feel, knowing that you had become gravely ill, or worse, because of him?"

Kagome looked shocked, as if the idea hadn't dawned on her before. Then, her lips started trembling as the tears rose higher. "But...but...if InuYasha dies because I wanted to take more care of me than him, then...then..." The miko trailed off shortly before she burst into tears. Miroku was a touch alarmed by this, but he knew better than to try and interfere with a crying Kagome. Watching InuYasha getting 'osuwaried' until he was in a hole several feet deep was enough to insure that the houshi never tried to make Kagome angry or sad. Even if that hadn't been an issue, Kagome needed to figure these feelings out on her own or she would never get anywhere. Friendly advice could only go so far, after all. With a small sigh, Miroku rose and turned away, walking down the familiar beaten path that snaked through the village's center.

Then, a familiar growl touched his ears. Heart in his throat, the houshi turned to see Kirara standing behind him. Worry shone in the giant nekomata's red eyes as she strode forward, seizing his sleeve with her teeth and tugging him back toward her.

"Is it Sango, Kirara? Is Sango all right?" Miroku asked, his voice urgent. Kirara made a sad sound in her throat as she looked at him, her eyes glittering with unsuppressed concern at the mention of her mistress's name. Without further ado, Miroku leaped onto Kirara's back, his hand moving to stroke Kirara's ears.

"Take me to her, Kirara. Take me to Sango," he commanded, his face determined.

The nekomata wasted no time. With a roar she leaped, the fire coming to life about her body as she soared into the nighttime sky. Miroku looked down at the village, a small pang of guilt touching his heart at the thought of who he was leaving behind.

_'Forgive me, Kagome-sama...but I, too, must make sure that the one I love will be all right.'_

* * *

><p><em>The field of green grass was never-ending, stretching from one end of the perpetually starry horizon to the other, whispering in a gentle breeze that never touched the flesh. He'd been wandering through this field for an unknown length of time, eyes flicking to the left and right as though he expected something to jump out at him, his scowl deepening when nothing happened. <em>

_Not for the first time, InuYasha wondered what the hell happened. One minute, Kagome had been screaming at him to get away from Kikyou while Kyūna-shi__ looked on, then a sharp pain had hit him in the lower back shortly before everything blacked out. He had woken up to find himself in __**this **__place...wherever it was._

_"Fuckin' hell," he grumbled. "I'm fuckin' tired of this fuckin' field. What the hell's going on?"_

_The breeze picked up as the last word left his mouth, whipping his mane of hair about as it churned the grass beneath his feet into a storm-tossed green sea. InuYasha whirled about, every nerve tensed for battle as he reached down for his Tetsusaiga-only to find that it wasn't there. "The hell?" he cursed, his hand hovering over the spot where his sword was supposed to be. How had he lost Tetsusaiga?_

_"Do not worry, InuYasha...I will not hurt you."_

_InuYasha's ears twitched at the sound of the familiar voice. He straightened, ears twiddling madly as the air congealed in front of him, forming something that looked like a body. He backed away, eying the phenomenon suspiciously. The person stepped forward, revealing itself to be-_

_"Kikyou?" the hanyou spluttered, his eyes widening to the point where the irises were in danger of being swallowed by the whites. "What in the name of the seven hells are __**you **__doing here?" _

_The miko smiled sadly at him, her brown eyes glittering solemnly. "Simple, InuYasha, and yet so complicated at the same time."_

_"Do you really haveta do that whole cryptic thing?" he complained, crossing his arms over his chest and glaring at her. "I just wanna fuckin' straight answer!"_

_Kikyou laughed, though the sound was emotionless. "Then you shall get one. Naraku killed me. That is why I'm here. The reason __**you're **__here is because Mujōna stabbed you in the back while you were human." _

_InuYasha's face went from angry to confused, angry and incredulous in the space of a single second. "What? I didn't see her there!" he shouted, his fingers cracking as he brandished his claws. Kikyou sighed softly, her eyes becoming a little piteous._

_"InuYasha, she possessed my body. That is why you did not see her...and also why Kagome told you to get away from me." The miko sighed again, her face becoming pained. "I truly did not wish for this to happen, believe me."_

_InuYasha barely heard her, so busy was he trying to recall what had happened to him. He remembered seeing Kikyou darting through the forest, remembered how she had cowered behind him, remembered the look on Kagome's face as she pointed her arrow at Kikyou, remembered the sharp pain that had pierced his lower back as a twisted version of Kikyou's voice mocked him. The last thing he could clearly see in his mind before the blackness had started stealing over his vision had been Kagome's face, shock and devastation warring for dominance in her eyes as he slowly toppled to the ground. The hanyou mulled these memories over, a growing sense of dread starting to weigh down his stomach. _

_"Wait a second, Kikyou," he growled, his ears flattening down as he stared at her. "Are you saying I'm __**dead**__?" When she didn't reply, the hanyou took that as a conformation. "Dammit, I __**can't **__be dead! What about Naraku and those bastards Mujōna and Kyūna-shi? They're still around, ain't they? Somebody's gotta defeat them! An' what about...what about...what about Kagome?" InuYasha's voice cracked on the younger miko's name, a small whine escaping his throat as his gaze went to the eternally starry sky overhead. Dear Kami, what had he done? Had his stupid pride really gotten him killed? Why, oh why couldn't he have done what Kagome had asked him to-what he __**usually **__did on the night of the new moon? Dammit, if he was dead, then that meant that Kagome had given everything-her family, her home, even the hearing in her right ear-up for nothing. There would be nothing left for the miko now, and for that, InuYasha felt hot pangs of guilt rising up in his stomach. How could he have been so unbelievably stupid?_

_"...You're not dead," Kikyou finally replied, though she sounded reluctant. InuYasha's ears snapped up as his head jerked down so quickly his neck almost popped. _

_"WHAT?" he yowled, his fangs flashing in the half-light as he fixed Kikyou with a hurt golden glare. "Why didn't you just fuckin' SAY so?"_

_"The reality is not as easy to deal with, InuYasha. You're not dead, that is true, but you are currently undergoing what is called an 'out-of-body experience.' That is to say, your soul is not dwelling inside your body right now." Kikyou's statement was calmly delivered, though InuYasha was anything __**but **__calm when she was finished._

_"What the hell does __**that **__mean?" he spluttered. "How can my soul not be in my body?"_

_Kikyou shrugged slightly. "No-one really knows. I don't know very many people who have experienced a phenomenon such as this. My reasoning is that the body is too weak to contain the soul, so the soul is left to wander the world of the spirits, searching for its home while the body struggles to recover." _

_"Did you just say I was weak?" InuYasha demanded, his eyes narrowing. _

_"I tell you that your soul is wandering around in the world of the spirits and all you take away from that is that your body is weak?" Kikyou asked, one eyebrow quirking slightly as she regarded the hanyou with a faintly disapproving stare. InuYasha flushed slightly and emitted a "Feh!"_

_"That's not important, though," she continued. "What __**is **__important is that you figure out what you want."_

_"What I want?" he echoed, his eyebrows pulling together. Kikyou frowned slightly. 'I do wish InuYasha could be a little quicker on the uptake,' she thought. _

_"As you are right now, you can make a choice as to whether or not you survive. It is my opinion that you are wandering right now because you're not sure of what you want. When you decide whether or not you want to live or die, then you shall be free at last." Kikyou looked at him, her hands clasped in front of her as she regarded the hanyou with a calculating stare. He shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot, mumbling something under his breath as he did so. _

_What he wanted? Well, what did he want? He could choose to move on, or whatever happened after death. Kami knew his life had been absolutely miserable for the past century and a half, and who in the world would miss a hanyou like him?_

_The image of the young woman's face swam up in his mind again, her eyes burning with intense despair as she watched him collapsing to the ground. Along with the memory came one that was foggy and unclear, more like a half-remembered dream than a memory. The sound was tinny, but he thought he could make out the sound of someone screaming at him, was sure he could feel hot liquid trailing slowly down his cheek as a strangely soft pressure darted across his face and tugged frantically at his earlobe. His brow furrowed as he concentrated on the scent, trying to see if he remembered the scent. That sweet, wonderful scent..._

_'Kagome!' he realized, mentally kicking himself for forgetting her. 'Kagome would miss me!' How could he have forgotten a woman like her, especially when she had chosen a hanyou like __**him **__to be her mate? She made life more than just worth living: she had turned what had previously been a struggle for survival into a way of living that he wouldn't have traded for the world. With that thought ringing in his head, InuYasha drew himself up with a small growl as he turned to face the miko he had once loved. _

_"I'm gonna survive," he snarled. "I ain't ready to die yet!"_

_Kikyou face fell slightly, as though she had known that he would choose this, and yet was still sad when she was proven right. "I thought as much," she murmured, almost to herself. "Your bond with my reincarnation is much stronger than the one you and I..." she trailed off, turning away from InuYasha as if to hide her face. Even though he had sworn to be with Kagome, InuYasha couldn't help the small pang he felt in the part of his heart that would always be Kikyou's as he watched her. _

_"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, Kikyou," he told her, moving forward and turning her face back towards his, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you either now or fifty years ago. I really am."_

_Kikyou smiled serenely at InuYasha, the shadows fading somewhat from her eyes as she regarded him. "I am also sorry, InuYasha...for standing in the way of the happiness you deserve. You have loved my...__**Kagome **__for so long now, yet you couldn't be with her because of me, and for that, I am sorry." When InuYasha made to interrupt, Kikyou intercepted him. "I am not done yet, InuYasha. I just wanted you to know that I give you my blessing to be with her. Just...love her with all your heart, InuYasha. That is all I require." The hanyou went beet red, but he nodded his understanding. Kikyou's smile became a little less sad as she stretched forward and placed a brief kiss on InuYasha's cheek. "Go, my one time koishii. There's someone who waits for you to wake up, and it's not polite to keep a lady waiting." _

_"Feh!" With that, he turned on his heel and darted away, the field fading away as a lurching sensation descended upon him. Before he knew it, the darkness had claimed him once more._

* * *

><p>"NNnnrgh..."<p>

If InuYasha hadn't known better, he would have thought that he had been run over by one of those giant metal carts that rushed around in Kagome's era, what with all the pain and stiffness that contorted his limbs. His mouth was as dry as a desert, though his skin felt slick and slimy with sweat. And his fucking _back..._there were no words to describe how _that _felt. He groaned, his eyes roving restlessly as he fought to wake up.

"InuYasha? Can you hear me?"

The hanyou's brow creased at the sound of the voice. It wasn't the one he had been expecting to hear, and that concerned him. "Whuh...whozere?" he managed, his voice hoarse and crackly from lack of use and dehydration. His eyelids felt like they weighed a million pounds each as he fought to drag them backwards. Even when he managed it, the picture revealed to him was blurry and unfocused. InuYasha blinked a couple of times, trying to chase the cobwebs away from his vision.

Slowly, Kaede's wrinkled old face came into focus, her one eye filled with concern as she watched him struggle to regain consciousness. "Wha' ya lookin' a, ba'a?" he croaked, his voice raspy and weak as he blinked some more, trying to chase the remnants of fatigue away from his body. The old miko laughed softly, her face swiftly becoming relieved as she gently patted his shoulder.

"It is good to see you awake, InuYasha. I was beginning to fear that you would never rise again," Kaede told him, looking down at the bandages that encircled the hanyou's midriff. He snorted weakly, his tired golden eyes flashing.

"Takes more'n tha' ta kill me," he said. His brow furrowed slightly as his eyes flicked to the left and right. "Where's Kagome?" he asked, struggling to rise as he weakly scented the air. "Is she here? Is she all right?"

Kaede's face immediately became a little more withdrawn, as though the question InuYasha had asked was one she had hoped to avoid for a little while longer. The hanyou looked at her, alarm and hurt rising in his golden eyes as his mind slowly digested her reluctant face.

"No...she's not...dammit, don't tell me she's dead!" he barked, his voice breaking a few times in the middle of his sentence, his raw throat stinging as he tried even harder to rise. Kaede reached out and pushed him back down with little effort.

"Calm yourself, fool," she chided. "It-"

"Don't you tell me to fuckin' calm down, baba!" he yelled, his voice not attaining the volume he was used to as he attempted to rise again. "Tell me what happened to Kagome!" She couldn't be dead, he reasoned. She _couldn't _be! He wasn't sure, but he could have sworn that somebody had told him that Kagome would be waiting for him when he woke up. She _had _to be alive-she _had _to be!

"If you would calm down and let me talk, then I _will _tell you, foolish dog!" Kaede snapped, her eyebrow pulling down as she scowled at him. InuYasha growled back, the effect weakened because of his dry throat. "Kagome is _not _dead, InuYasha, which is what I was trying to tell you." She glanced over to her right as she spoke, prompting the hanyou to turn to his right as well.

Kagome was propped up against a wall, her hands lying limply on either side of her, her chin resting on her chest as she slept. InuYasha whimpered at the sight of his miko, his struggles to rise becoming more urgent as he looked upon her small form. "Be still, InuYasha," Kaede chided. "Kagome needs to sleep, and so do you."

"I slept long enough," he rasped, wishing the damn dryness in his throat would go away. "What about Kagome? Is she all right? Was she hurt?"

Kaede sighed. "Her wounds were nothing serious."

InuYasha turned to glare at her. "Then what's wrong with her?" When Kaede didn't answer him right away, he growled again. "I know you're hidin' something, baba. I can smell it."

"...Kagome was so concerned with saving your life that she neglected to take care of herself. She's barely slept or eaten since you were brought in here, and I know she has become ill as well." Kaede fixed the hanyou with a stern stare as he whined, his claws digging into the wood of the floor as he finally managed to pull himself into a sitting position. "She refuses to let anyone care for her as long as you're still hurt. In her eyes, your life is far more important than hers."

InuYasha whined again, his ears flattening to his head as he sniffed at Kagome's sleeping form, retching when the scent of rampant infection and blood came to his nose, tainting her sweet scent with its rancid stench. Upon further inspection, the hanyou realized that Kagome's face was much thinner than he remembered it, and paler too. There were purple circles marring the soft skin beneath her eyes, and a putrid smelling yellow liquid oozing out from between the lids. He whined, long and loud, as he reached forward with one trembling hand, touching the soft skin of her cheek with his calloused fingers, nudging her chin with his nose and whimpering softly. "Kagome? _Kagome! _Dammit, wake up, you baka wench!"

Kagome moaned softly, one of her hands coming up to cover his own as her eyes struggled to open, her body moving feebly as she turned toward the sound of his voice. Finally, her eyes opened, blinking slightly as she tried to clear the yellow stuff out of her vision. InuYasha whined at the sight of her brown eyes: the scleras were as red as if she were a youkai, the yellow glop oozing from the corners as she tried her best to focus on the hanyou. "InuYasha?" she rasped, her voice thick and unwieldy, "Oh, Kami...is that really you?"

"Dammit, you idiot!" he cursed, pulling her forward and embracing her, ignoring his protesting back as he did so. "Why the hell would you do this to yourself, you baka? What made you think I would want you to...to fuckin' _murder _yourself, huh?"

Kagome coughed, her body trembling as a weak smile crossed her face. "I'm so glad you're alive, InuYasha. I was so worried..."

"Fuckin' hell, wench, will you _listen _to me?" he roared, pushing her back and seizing her shoulders so he could look into her infected eyes, wincing as he watched her blink, raising one hand to try and wipe the muck off her cheeks. Her face was burning hot, making the hanyou wince as his fingers danced over her skin. "Fuckin' hell, Kagome, you have a fever! How could you have let yourself get like this?" he asked, the volume leaving his voice as his dry throat protested its overuse. Kagome blinked at him as though the answer was obvious.

"You're more important than I am, InuYasha. My life is nothing compared to yours." She started coughing again, the sound wet and hacking as her body trembled some more.

InuYasha looked imploringly at Kaede, his eyes begging her for help. The old miko sighed. "I told you, InuYasha." But she got up and filled two bamboo reeds with water, shuffling over to where the hanyou was sitting and giving them to him. He wasted no time in chugging one down, almost choking on the sweet water as it flooded down his dry throat. Then, he proffered the other tube to Kagome, who looked at it as though she had never seen such a thing before.

"Drink!" he commanded, his voice stronger now. Kagome leaned back against the wall, shaking her head as her hand curled around his, her skin strangely cool in contrast to her burning forehead.

"You need it more than I do," she told him, her voice still thick and choking, as though the words were struggling to get past a blockage in her throat. "You're still wounded."

"This wound ain't nothing, baka!" he snapped, putting his hand behind her head and forcing her forward, "but you're ill, which automatically makes your condition more urgent than mine!" With that, he jammed the bamboo tube against her lips and forced the water into her mouth. Kagome was in no condition to fight him and ended up swallowing the water with difficulty, gasping for breath when the hanyou pulled the tube away.

Kaede watched this series of events without comment for a few minutes. Then, when InuYasha tossed the empty tube aside, she rose to her feet. "InuYasha, it is true that you are still wounded, but I agree that Kagome's condition is more urgent than yours." Kagome opened her mouth to complain, but ended up coughing before she could say anything. InuYasha nuzzled her, wondering how her tiny body could feel so cold but her head could burn with so much heat at the same time. "I shall go outside to retrieve some herbs for the two of you. Try not to stress yourself, InuYasha." With that, the old miko shuffled to the door and exited the hut, her slow steps moving toward the garden that lined the side of the hut.

When she had left, InuYasha set about trying to stand. It was no easy task: his spine hadn't healed all the way yet, making his legs about as responsive as two chunks of granite. It wasn't for lack of trying, however, as the scored wall beside his head attested to as he tried to use it to haul himself to his feet. InuYasha was becoming more and more furious with himself with each failed attempt at getting to his feet, his mouth twisting in a snarl as his claws scrabbled at the wood. He _needed _to stand, he _needed _to help Kaede so Kagome could get better! Why the fuck couldn't he get up? Why was he stuck here like some kind of invalid while Kagome sat suffering beside him?

"Damn it all!" he yowled as he managed to pull himself onto his knees seconds before his claws lost their grip and dumped him back onto the floor. Kagome moved over to him, her fingers moving clumsily over the wound on his back. He yelped slightly as a twinge of pain shot up his back and down his legs. Damn, this wound was nothing! Why did it hurt so much?

"Don't stress yourself, saiai," she told him, and InuYasha couldn't help blushing at her use of the endearment. "Your wound still isn't healed."

"You think I don't know that?" he grumbled. She laughed, but the gurgling sound quickly turned into a cough, her shoulders shaking with every sound she made. InuYasha whined again, reaching up and pulling his sick miko down, her body putting up little resistance as she collapsed beside him.

"If I've gotta take it easy for the next few days, then so do you, wench," he growled. "Concentrate on getting better, okay?"

Kagome nodded blearily, her eyelids drifting down to conceal her too-red eyes. "Okay," she agreed feebly before leaning forward and nuzzling the hanyou's bare shoulder. "I'm glad you're alive," she told him, the thickness in her voice only partially to do with her illness. InuYasha let out a single laugh as he rolled over and gathered her to him, wincing slightly as her soft weight put pressure on his wound.

"It won't mean nothin' if you die of illness, stupid," he told her, though the insult had no bite to it. "Take care of yourself, Kagome...I don't know what I'll do if you die."

Kagome didn't respond, and InuYasha could tell that she had gone back to sleep. He nuzzled her hair before letting his head thunk back against the mussed-up sheets.

If the Kami had ever listened to him before, he hoped they were now as he prayed fervently for Kagome's health to return to normal. He would be damned if he was revived just to watch Kagome die.

* * *

><p>koishii-dearest<p>

_A/N: On a side note, Born For Each Other awarded _Forget Me Not _2nd Place Best Drama! A big thank you to everyone who voted. =D_


	42. Among the Ruins

InuYasha's patience was wearing thin. Admittedly, he never really had that much patience to begin with, but after three days of having to stay in bed because he was unable to walk, the hanyou was just about to snap. The walls of Kaede's hut bore the evidence of the long hours InuYasha spent trying to rise to his feet, the floor marked with the many signs of failure. To make matters worse, Kagome was still very sick. Thanks to her long experience as a healer, the old miko had been able to discern that Kagome was suffering from a combination of influenza and conjunctivitis-or, as they called it in their time, red-eyes and sweating sickness. In Kagome's time, all one had to do was pop a couple of antibiotics and they'd be fine in no time. In the Sengoku jidai, however...

Hence InuYasha's predicament. Despite the fact that she had promised not to go to the Heisei jidai again, InuYasha knew that Kagome would get better faster if she went over _there_. However, he and Kagome were the only ones who could go through the well. With his legs temporarily out of commission and Kagome too sick to get up, the pair of them were effectively stuck. This fact drove InuYasha to insanity, which meant he was crankier than usual, snapping at anyone who came too close to him or Kagome. Shippou usually spent all his time outside, and Miroku and Sango had apparently fled the village, seeing as he hadn't _seen _them in forever and a day. In the back of his mind, the hanyou wondered why the fuck they had been missing for such a long time. But, for the most part, InuYasha was preoccupied with helping Kagome, which required that he be able to walk. So...

"Will you calm down, InuYasha?" Kaede groaned as she heard another ripping sound and yet another thud-the hanyou was trying to get up again. "Ye have already half destroyed my hut-would you please not ruin the rest of it?"

"Shut up, baba!" InuYasha barked back, his claws raking unpleasantly down the wood as he dragged himself up the wall, trying to get his upper body up high enough to fully stretch out his legs. The healing process _was_ knitting his flesh back together, but it was taking much longer for his spine to heal than it should, though the reasons for this unusual occurrence were unknown. The overall result was the hanyou's temporary paralysis, and for a roving spirit like him, it was nothing more or less than the ultimate hell. Kaede understood this and tried her hardest not to get angry at InuYasha, but watching him tear great long claw-marks in the walls of her hut as he tried to get to his feet wasn't exactly good for her temperament.

"Patience, InuYasha. The wound is still not healed. Give it more time, then you shall be able to walk again." Kaede fervently hoped that the time would be soon, before the hanyou's restless energy took its toll on her scored hut.

"I fuckin' _know _that!" he bellowed back, losing a couple of inches on the wall when he turned to glare at Kaede. In his effort to try and regain the lost ground, InuYasha inadvertently dislodged himself and fell back to his futon with a snarl and a crash. Kaede closed her eye and looked to the Kami for patience. It was a practice she had been repeating more and more often since InuYasha woke up.

Before InuYasha could shriek a tirade of curses and begin the slow process of pulling himself along the floor to start again, a harsh hacking sound broke his concentration. When he had woken up, Kaede had finally managed to convince Kagome that she needed to lie down and stop trying to do so much for InuYasha. The ailing was curled up on a futon next to his, a thin sheet covering her small body as she trembled with the chills that accompanied the sweating sickness. InuYasha instantly forgot his quest to stand as he pulled himself to her side, whimpering softly as he took in her pale face.

"She will be fine, InuYasha," Kaede soothed, standing up to stir the pot of stew she had placed on the fire a few minutes earlier. "The red-eye disease is easy enough to banish."

"And sweating sickness?" he challenged. Kaede's brow furrowed slightly, but other than that she still looked calm.

"If it is caught early, it can be cured without too much effort," she told him. InuYasha didn't look pacified.

"How early is _early?_" he complained, one hand feeling her forehead as he glared at Kaede. Her skin felt like it was on fire, burning with fever. Kagome's eyes flickered slightly, as if she were trying to open them, though the copious amounts of unnatural yellow goo kept them shut. Kaede didn't answer, prompting the hanyou to scowl and turn away from her.

The scent of illness emanating from Kagome's body made the hanyou want to choke. The fact that there was nothing he or anyone else could do about it made him want to kill something. Miroku and Sango's absence made him want to chase after them. Shippou's cowardice made him want to pound him. And the thought that Kagome might die made InuYasha want to howl. _'In what land, exactly,' _he asked of no-one in particular, _'is this fair?'_

Then again, life wasn't fair. One hundred and forty-five years of living in the wild had taught the hanyou that much.

* * *

><p>The village of the youkai taijiya was silent. The feel of abandonment was tangible, even to the houshi who hadn't yet touched down from the sky. Kirara shuddered beneath Miroku, a sad little sound rising up in the giant fire-neko's throat. The sight of her old home, looking and feeling like the abandoned village it was, made the nekomata a little upset. Miroku reached forward and stroked the nape of Kirara's neck, trying to soothe her while fighting back the worry he felt in his heart.<p>

Kirara touched down at the ruined gate, letting Miroku dismount before she transformed into a tiny cat and hopped onto his shoulder, rubbing her head against his neck and meowing sadly. The houshi absently rubbed the diamond in the middle of Kirara's forehead as he strode into the wreckage of Sango's old home.

The last of the buildings in the village had collapsed into rubble, with tiny plants growing through the rotten planks of wood as they consumed the proud huts and the forges, the training halls and the storage rooms. The scent of decay had been replaced by the sweet scent of grass, but the underlying sadness of the deceitful event permeated the air around the ruins.

The graves of the youkai taijiya lined the wall closest to the fort's entrance. Each grass-covered mound was covered with a ruined weapon as a mark of who slept beneath the dewy ground. The scent of incense wafted toward the houshi, who started off in the direction of its smell, Kirara mewing anxiously and prancing around on his shoulders.

A hunched figure was sitting near a grave that had been freshly dug, her head buried in her knees as she wept quietly. Several sticks of incense were burning at the foot of the grave, the smoke wafting eerily over it and shrouding the kusarigama that marked the grave in a misty cloak. Miroku did not have to see the kusarigama or the freshly dug dirt to know whose grave this was: Sango's demeanor was more than enough to tell him.

"Sango," he called, his voice a roar in the deafening silence. The taijiya started and looked up, hurriedly wiping her face with her sleeve in an effort to conceal the fact that she had been crying. It was unsuccessful, given that her eyes were a bloody red and her cheeks marred with silvery streaks.

"Ho-houshi-sama," she hiccuped, reverting back to honorifics as she tried to make herself presentable. "I-I swear I didn't mean to leave like that-I...I just..."

Miroku let his Shakujou fall to the ground with a jingling clatter as he reached out and seized Sango's shoulders, pulling her against him and wrapping his arms around her. "Do not try to explain, dear Sango," he told her. "I understand how you feel. What I must ask is this: why would you leave without me?"

Sango sniffed, tears welling up in her eyes despite her best efforts to keep them contained. "I'm so sorry!" she cried, pressing her face into the houshi's shoulder as her hands clutched his arms. "I'm _so _sorry! I-I couldn't...Kohaku...he-"

"I know, Sango," he interrupted, unconsciously flexing his wounded arm as the words left his mouth. "But there was nothing you could do. Kohaku was your brother, and I know that you loved him with all your heart."

"He hurt you, and I couldn't stop it," Sango sobbed, hiding her smarting eyes from Miroku's amethyst gaze. "I-I couldn't stop it!" The taijiya wailed, unable to hide her grief any longer. She clung to the houshi, sobbing despondently into his robes as all of her pent-up sadness burst like an overfull balloon. Miroku held onto her, his hand stroking her long brown hair as he remained silent, offering only his touch to comfort his fiancée. Kirara mewed as she leaped down from Miroku's shoulders, winding her way about Sango's ankles and letting a purr vibrate through her small frame, giving her mistress comfort in the only way she knew how.

Sango finally managed to stop sobbing some time later, though tears still leaked from the corners of her eyes. "Sorry," she managed to choke out. "I shouldn't...shouldn't be crying like this."

"Nonsense," Miroku declared, fixing Sango with a stern stare. The taijiya blushed and looked away. "Having a good cry helps cleanse the soul of negative emotions. It is better to cry now and feel better later than to keep your emotions bottled up inside you until they burst out."

Sango managed to dredge up a watery smile as she looked into the houshi's rather stunning amethyst eyes. "Arigato, ho-Miroku." She liked the way the houshi's eyes sparkled at her use of his name. It was still odd to use it instead of the more formal 'houshi-sama' but the warm purple glow that greeted her when she said 'Miroku' was well worth it.

"Will you allow me to sit with you, dear Sango?" he asked, his eyes glimmering, reflecting the fattening sliver of moon and brilliant stars above. Sango blushed, swallowed and looked away, trying hard to formulate an answer.

"O-Of course, Miroku!" she exclaimed, doing her utmost not to stutter and sound like an idiot. "You can sit with me!"

Miroku nodded and, without further ado, flopped down onto the ground, dragging Sango down with him. When she had regained her breath, the taijiya leaned back against the houshi's chest, her eyes fixed on the graves of her people that lay in front of them. Silence reigned in the desolate village for some time after that as they sat there, watching the moonlight dance over the shimmering weapons, listening to the wind as it whispered through the blades of grass covering the land before them. Kirara mewed softly and butted her head against Sango's limp hand, prompting the taijiya to start stroking her ears. Still there was quiet, as houshi and taijiya reflected back on the events that had happened before this moment.

Miroku was first to break the silence. "What will you do now, Sango?" he asked, his voice soft and solemn. Sango twisted around to look at him, her eyes wide with confusion.

"What do you mean?" she asked, brow furrowing slightly.

"I am referring to the argument we had before the fight with Naraku," Miroku reminded her. "About where we were going to live when we got married. Do you still want to try to revitalize this place, Sango? I won't stop you, if that's what you want. However, I will say that I do not think that it is a good idea." The houshi's gaze became more and more intense as he drew near to the end of his sentence, to the point where Sango was finding it rather hard to concentrate. She blinked and shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

"Well..." Sango drifted off, her gaze moving to cover the place she had once called home. It was evident that time was making quick work of consuming the village of the youkai taijiya; what wood she could see was covered with grass, the pathways long since consumed by weeds and flowers. The outlines of the buildings were quickly being erased from the ground, and it was only a matter of time before the walls of the fort fell and rotted too, leaving only the memory of the youkai taijiya behind, and that, too, would fade as the years passed. Was that what Sango wanted? To let her family, her people, fade into the dust like this?

But, when she thought about it, Sango also knew that this place held great sadness within its walls. This was the place where her people had fought to their deaths, each one of them proving their worth as youkai taijiya as they struggled to repel Naraku's menace and protect the shikon-no-kakera they had obtained. This was the place where they all rested forever, ensconced in earth and blanketed by grass, each grave marked by the weapon they had chosen to master. This was the place where she and her friends had eventually brought her father and the others who had fallen at Naraku's castle to join the others in their eternal repose, and where Kohaku now rested after the fateful battle with Naraku. Did she want to make her life here?

"No," she realized. "I don't want to try to repopulate this place." Sango took in a deep breath and continued, trying to put into words an emotion that had always been difficult for her to express. "This place is too...too...too _sad, _too _depressing _to live in anymore. I'm not saying that I won't want to visit every once in a while," she clarified, "but I don't think I want to raise a family here, either." She looked around at the ruins, her chin lifting almost defiantly. "People shouldn't have to live in a tomb-don't you think?" she asked, her voice almost challenging.

Throughout her explanation, Miroku had been listening attentively, his face serious. When she asked his opinion, the houshi had to try extremely hard not to laugh as he said, "I agree with you, Sango. People shouldn't have to live in a tomb. And," he added, "I am glad that you are willing to try to move forward again. The only true way to keep your people alive is to live your life to its fullest extent. Keep those who are gone inside your heart, but don't let them prevent you from having a life of your own. That is the only way to move on: by accepting that they are gone from this Earth, but also realizing that they still live inside of you. While you live, Kohaku and the others will never truly die."

Sango felt tears gathering in her eyes again as she listened to the houshi's words. Miroku noticed this and frowned at her, his eyes concerned. Sango shook her head as he was about to inquire if something was wrong. "I'm all right, Miroku...it's just...that was...what you said...it was..._beautiful._" Sango blushed as the word left her lips, feeling the heat all the way down to her toes. The concern lifted from Miroku's eyes almost instantaneously, his lips quirking into a small smile.

"Is that _all _that's beautiful, dear Sango?" he asked, the familiar perverted glint entering his eyes as he spoke. Sango snorted and shoved the houshi away, trying hard to fight down a laugh.

"Hentai," she accused, pressing her hand tightly over her mouth to contain the rebellious giggles. Miroku's chest swelled as he seized the taijiya and hugged her tight, chuckling at her squeak of surprise.

"If you love me for it, dear Sango, then I am indeed a hentai," he told her, eyes shining. Sango's blush deepened, but she laughed all the same. Without warning, the houshi moved forward and placed a kiss upon her lips, shocking all the laughter out of her system. She soon got over her surprise and returned the kiss, her hands fisting tightly in the houshi's robes as she pulled him as physically close to her body as it was possible for him to be.

At first, when they pulled apart, neither of them could think of a single thing to say. Then, Sango managed to speak at last:

"Thank you for coming after me, Miroku."

Miroku smiled into the darkness and gathered Sango up in a hug, letting his cheek rest in her hair as he said, "I was, and always will be, thinking of you, dear Sango."


	43. Sickness

The morning light peeked over the edges of the fort's walls, trickling between the cracks and making the drops of dew perched atop the green grass sparkle like diamonds. Slowly, the world started to wake up in preparation for another day, flora and fauna alike waking from slumber and starting about their daily activities.

Miroku was the first of the trio to wake up. Careful not to wake Sango or Kirara, the houshi got up and made his way to the graves lining the far edge of the fortress. Eyes flicking from one grave to the next, the houshi slowly raised one hand in front of him and began reciting a prayer for the people resting before him, praying for their repose and their safe passage into the afterlife. The world seemed to go silent as Miroku chanted, as if every living thing around him was listening to his quietly uttered words. The houshi sensed a familiar presence approaching him as he spoke, but he kept on reciting, knowing that the person standing behind him wouldn't interrupt.

When the last word had been uttered, Miroku did not turn around. Instead, he waited for the person behind him to make the first move.

"You didn't have to do that," Sango said, striding forward to stand beside the houshi. Kirara mewed from her perch atop Sango's shoulder, her red eyes fixed upon the graves. Miroku chuckled softly.

"What sort of houshi would I be if I did not pay my respects to the dead?" he asked.

"Yeah, well, what kind of houshi gropes women's butts and asks them to have his children?" Sango muttered under her breath. Miroku grinned as his formerly cursed hand wandered over to Sango's backside, waiting until just the right moment-

_SMACK._

Miroku slowly rubbed his cheek, a sigh rising on his lips as he stared at Sango. "Now, dear Sango, what did you do that for? Surely it's all right for me to touch you now that we're getting married?"

Sango glared at the houshi, her lips pursed. "We're not married _yet, _houshi-sama," she growled. Instead of looking put out, Miroku brightened.

"Does that mean you'll let me touch you all I want after our marriage?" he asked, unable to keep the perverted glint out of his eyes. Sango deliberated, waiting until Miroku's face began to fall to give her answer.

"Within reason, hentai," she replied, smiling slightly despite her efforts to look serious. Miroku's face cleared as he made no effort to hide the brilliant smile that crossed his face.

"What do you want to do today, dear Sango?" he asked, his voice filled with the utmost civility. Sango pondered her answer for a few moments before she replied, speaking slowly, like she was still considering other options.

"Well...I _think _I want to go back to Kaede-sama's hut...after all, Kagome-chan's still...still..." A lump rose in Sango's throat as she remembered what her friend was going through-or, at least, whather friend had _been_ going through.

"I forgot that you didn't know," Miroku stated quietly, almost to himself. When Sango shot him a questioning glance, the houshi clarified: "InuYasha did not die when he was stabbed. He still lives, though nobody knows for how much longer."

Sango gaped at Miroku, her jaw practically touching her feet. "InuYasha is _alive?_" she gasped, the words almost too garbled to make sense as a sentence. "But he was badly hurt-in his _human _form!"

Miroku shrugged. "InuYasha always _was _one with amazing tenacity. It wouldn't surprise me if he managed to pull through after all this." His brow furrowed as another thought came to him. "It is Kagome-sama I am worried about now."

"Kagome-chan? What's wrong with her?" Sango asked, confused now.

"Kagome-sama is using every ounce of strength she possesses to take care of InuYasha. She has devoted herself to him so completely that she forgets to take care of herself. When I left her, her health had started to decline. I am worried that if she continues like this, she will only get worse." As the houshi spoke, Sango's face grew more determined, her hands twisting into fists at her sides, her nails driving deep crescent marks into her palms. When Miroku was finished, Sango looked like a bomb that was about to explode.

"Kirara!" she called. The nekomata actually jumped a little bit in shock before recovering and emitting a small mew. "We're going back!" The neko nodded and jumped off Sango's shoulder, bursting into flames in midair and transforming into her giant battle-form. The taijiya swung her leg over Kirara's flank, glancing back at the houshi to see if he was following.

"Why are you so angry, dear Sango?" Miroku asked quietly. Sango didn't reply for a few seconds, nudging Kirara into the air and waiting until the village of the youkai taijiya was far behind them before she spoke.

"I'm...I'm angry at _myself, _houshi-sama," Sango replied, biting her lip as she reached out to stroke Kirara's cream-colored fur. "If I hadn't abandoned Kagome-chan when she needed me...maybe..."

"Don't blame yourself, Sango," Miroku chastised softly, reaching out and pulling Sango back against his chest. "I myself tried to take care of Kagome-sama, but to no avail. There is only one voice that Kagome-sama will listen to right now, and unfortunately, that voice has been silenced, perhaps forever."

The twosome didn't speak for some time after that, and Kirara flew on, the forests and fields passing beneath them in a great green-and-brown blur beneath the fire-neko's paws. The sun rose higher and higher in the sky, approaching mid-morning as they grew nearer and nearer to their destination.

Then, after almost half an hour of silence, Sango finally voiced her thoughts. "If InuYasha dies, I'll kill him."

Miroku chuckled softly. In his mind, however, he was praying for his hanyou friend's recovery, as well as for the miko's.

* * *

><p>In an effort to save what remained of her hut, Kaede had transferred InuYasha to an old storage building on the outskirts of the village. This building had been donated by one of the younger residents, who expressed hopes that maybe the village would be able to sleep better if they couldn't hear InuYasha yowling every night. When 'moving day' had arrived, the hanyou had made a tremendous fuss and struggled against Kaede and a few of the male villagers whom she had called upon for help, but without the use of his legs, it was really no contest. In the end, he had been dragged away and dumped in the storage building. After two nonstop hours of yowling, screeching, cussing and general kerfuffle, Kaede finally agreed to let Kagome stay with InuYasha, too. The miko's presence kept the hanyou from going completely crazy, and her coughing didn't seem quite as bad when he was around.<p>

Kaede was getting worried about Kagome. It was true that sweating sickness usually wasn't fatal, but that was only if the body was properly cared for: given plenty of food, drinking lots of water, etc. Kagome, however, barely ate anything, and if she did, it was usually thrown back up within an hour. The same went for water. Kaede gave Kagome as much medicine as possible without accidentally poisoning the girl, but if it had an effect on her, the old miko couldn't tell. The young miko was growing steadily paler by the day, the rings under her eyes more pronounced, as was the yellow goo produced by the red eye disease. Most of her day and night hours were spent curled beneath a thin sheet, her body wracked with coughs half the time and violent shivers the other half.

If Kaede was getting worried about Kagome, then InuYasha was growing absolutely paranoid. The hanyou was starting to think that Kaede wasn't healing Kagome on purpose, so whenever she started administering herbs to Kagome, InuYasha would growl softly at her, his shoulders squared as he sniffed suspiciously at the miko's concoction. Kaede reassured him that the herbs were the correct ones and that Kagome _would _get better, but as time passed and Kagome remained sick, it was getting harder to convince him.

Kaede sighed softly, pausing in the act of mixing an herbal tea for Kagome (which she hoped might calm the sick girl's stomach enough for her to eat something). The old miko couldn't say she was _glad _that Kagome was sick, but her illness _did _seem to keep InuYasha from destroying the storage house they had been placed in. Every time she had entered thus far, it was to see that there were no claw-marks upon the walls or scuff marks on the floor. Usually, InuYasha was hovering protectively over Kagome, growling slightly as she approached with whatever remedy she thought might work.

_'Whatever is afflicting Kagome might just be beyond my skill,' _Kaede admitted grimly. _'After all, Kagome hid the wounds she received during that final fight with Naraku. There is a possibility that something bad could have entered the wounds during that time...' _Kaede's thought trailed off as she began pondering the various and sundry reasons for Kagome's illness. As she did so, the old miko ladled the steaming tea into a bamboo tube, ready to carry it over to the storage hut and feed it to the sick miko.

A rustle at the door made her pause and turn about, wariness making her hand move to where she kept her bow and arrows. Kaede quickly relaxed when she saw Miroku, Sango and Kirara walk through the door, their stride purposeful.

"Where have you been?" she asked, her tone suspicious, though she did look glad to see them.

"Gomen, Kaede-sama," Sango apologized, moving forward and dipping her head in a swift bow, "I left without telling anybody what I was doing. I...I was just..."

Kaede stopped her by lifting one gnarled hand, a small smile deepening the wrinkles on her face. "No more is necessary. I know you were hurting after the fight. I am just glad to see you are all right." Sango managed to smile back at the old woman, grateful that Kaede understood without needing an explanation.

Miroku, meanwhile, was examining the hut's one room, taking in the scored walls and the less-than inhabited futons. "Kaede-sama," he started, his voice moving slowly but gaining speed as he became more sure of himself, "Where are InuYasha and Kagome-sama?"

Kaede sighed, her eye moving to the scratched walls as she screwed the tiny stopper into the bamboo tube, ready to transport the tea to Kagome. "InuYasha regained consciousness shortly after you left, houshi-sama," she told them as she pushed herself to her feet, her brow furrowing slightly as her aged bones protested the movements. "Even though he is awake, the wound has not healed completely. InuYasha is, for the time being, completely unable to walk."

Sango covered her mouth as Miroku blanched. "He can't walk?" Miroku asked, his voice suddenly raspy. Kaede nodded and began shuffling toward the door.

"Is...is that where the scratches came from?" Sango asked, moving forward to assist the old miko. Kaede nodded again.

"Aye. InuYasha refuses to believe that he can't walk. For three days he tried to rise, using the walls of my hut to try and pull himself to his feet. In the end, I had to move him to one of the storage huts on the outskirts of the village just to get some peace." Kaede sighed, her eye flicking briefly to the scored walls of her hut before she moved the reed mat aside and exited. Miroku and Sango hastened to follow her.

"What about Kagome-chan?" Sango asked, her voice anxious. Kaede's expression rapidly became worried, her brow furrowing as she thought about the young miko.

"Her health degenerated rapidly after you left, houshi-sama. She was so concerned about InuYasha that she neglected to care for herself. Now she suffers from a combination of red eye disease and sweating sickness." Kaede let out a breath as she focused her gaze on the path in front of her, taking note of the houshi and taijiya's shocked faces. "I have been trying everything I know to heal her, but nothing seems to be working." She laughed once without humor. "InuYasha is convinced that I am not healing her on purpose."

"Is Kagome-chan with InuYasha?" Sango asked.

"Yes. It was the only way to keep him from destroying the storage hut as well." Kaede smiled at the memory, her eye sparkling. "He truly cares for her, after all."

They walked in silence for a short time after that, each alone with their own private thoughts. The quiet stretched for miles around them, as if every bird and animal who inhabited the area were also reflecting, were also thinking about the things that the old miko had said.

The storage house was situated at the fringes of the village, sitting like a fat old cat in the shade of a tall tree. Miroku strode forward and pulled open the door with a flourish, bowing low to the two women behind him.

"Ladies first," he proclaimed, his eyes glittering like amethysts. Sango couldn't help but to giggle at the houshi's antics. She swept forward, breezing into the room with a small smile on her face.

A soft growl from the darkness quickly wiped the smile off her face, however. Sango stiffened, her body moving swiftly into a fighting stance. Miroku came in behind her and placed one placating hand on her back. "It is all right, dear Sango," he told her. "It's just InuYasha."

Sango blinked, trying to focus on the murky patch of darkness in front of her. Kaede moved to the center of the room and used a small steel knife and a rock to start a fire, which quickly blazed into life. InuYasha's outline became more defined as the fire grew in size. The hanyou was growling, his lips pulled back to expose his teeth, his ears flattened to his head as he glared at them. His clawed hands were splayed as he crouched protectively over a small sheet-covered lump.

"Stop growling, InuYasha," Kaede chastised as she moved forward. "Houshi-sama and Sango mean no harm."

InuYasha did not relax. "Where the _fuck _have you two been?" he snarled, the growl in his throat becoming louder as he crouched lower. "Why didn't you stay here and keep her from driving herself into the ground?"

Sango glared back at the hanyou, though her bottom lip started trembling. "How could I have known what Kagome-chan was going to do?" she asked, wincing as the lump beneath InuYasha's body coughed and convulsed, trembling like a leaf in a torrential windstorm. "I wasn't thinking about what she _would _do at the time, InuYasha! I...I didn't even know that you had survived. All I could think about was...Kohaku." Sango swallowed down the lump that rose in her throat as a little more of her ferocity melted away with the memory. Miroku moved forward and took her hand, squeezing it gently while turning his amethyst gaze to InuYasha.

"We are only human, InuYasha," he told the hanyou. "Our minds can only be occupied with a few things at one time. You, I think, got that from us," he added, eyes twinkling slightly as he looked down at Kagome's curled-up form. "I am sorry that I left you so suddenly, InuYasha, but had you been in my shoes, you would have done the same thing I did." InuYasha didn't look appeased, but he stopped growling and moved out of his protective stance. His ears twitched slightly as he glared at the wall, his arms crossing over his chest.

"How is your back feeling, InuYasha?" Kaede asked as she moved slowly toward the place where Kagome was lying. InuYasha growled again, stretching up slightly before wincing and slouching down again.

"It _still _hurts," he complained. "Dammit, even the wound I got fighting _Sesshoumaru _didn't take this slow to heal! An' I was still able to walk around and shit! Why the fuck is this taking so long?" As the hanyou spoke, one of his fists came up and clenched so tightly the veins stood out on his fingers. He looked like he dearly wanted to punch something, but was quelled by the glare Kaede fixed him with.

"Patience, InuYasha," Kaede sighed, pulling back the sheet to expose Kagome's face, mentally wincing at how pale the girl was, at how dark the circles under her eyes were, and at the yellow goo that seeped from between her closed lids. "You were wounded as a human, and as such, we cannot know what to expect."

InuYasha eyed Kaede suspiciously as she pulled Kagome toward her and opened the tube of tea. "What's that, baba?" he asked, his ears flattening slightly. Miroku sat down beside him, patting him carefully on the back as he moved to placate the irate hanyou.

"Now, now, InuYasha, Kaede-sama is a healer with a wealth of knowledge at her disposal. You must trust her in matters of illness," Miroku stated calmly, smiling slightly when InuYasha snorted and looked away. Then, he turned his attention back to Kaede, the smile fading at the sight of his friend looking so pale and sickly. The old miko placed the opening of the tube at Kagome's lips and began to force-feed her the tea, tilting her head back to make her swallow. She choked and spluttered, but otherwise swallowed the medicinal liquid.

"How long until we know if it works?" InuYasha demanded, a snarl embedded in the words. Kaede just raised her eyebrow at the hanyou's defensive attitude. The old miko put her hands on her knees and pushed herself to her feet, wincing as her old bones protested their misuse.

"I do not know, InuYasha," she replied wearily. "It might work a little, or it might not work at all. With Kagome in such poor health..." Kaede trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. The hanyou's snarl became a whine as he looked down at his miko's too-pale face. Kaede sighed softly before turning to Sango and Miroku.

"I shall return to my hut. You may stay if you'd like." With that, the old miko made her way through the maze of barrels and boxes, reaching the door and exiting the building.

For a few seconds after Kaede's departure, no-one spoke. The silence congealed to the consistency of day-old oatmeal as the two humans shuffled about awkwardly while InuYasha stared at Kagome, who had started shivering again.

The inu-hanyou was the first to break the oppressive silence. "Where the hell _were _you guys?" he asked, exposing his fangs just a little bit as he talked.

Sango was quiet for a few seconds before saying in a small voice, "...My village." Before InuYasha could ask any more questions, she followed it up with, "I...I wanted to give Kohaku a burial. A _private _burial."

InuYasha snorted softly and opened his mouth to say something. A soft cough from beneath his crouched form silenced any words that might have come from his mouth. Kagome coughed again, convulsing slightly as she rolled over. Her eyelids fluttered, struggling with the copious amounts of goo as she tried to open her eyes.

"Kagome?" Everybody blushed slightly when they realized that they had all called the miko's name at the same time. It seemed to have the desired effect, however: Kagome's eyes cracked open a fraction, revealing blurry brown surrounded by bloody red.

"M-Miroku-sama? Sango-chan?" she croaked, blinking several times in an effort to clear some of the goo out of her eyes. "Is that you?" The sentence ended in a rather pathetic cough as Kagome's small body twisted beneath the sheet. InuYasha whined again, ears drooping slightly as he watched her.

"Yes, Kagome-chan, it's us," Sango told her, tears beading in her eyes at the sight of her poor sick friend. She knelt down beside the sick girl and felt her forehead, wincing at the burning hot feel of her skin. "I'm sorry I left," she blurted, blinking back her tears. "I...I..."

Kagome managed to smile at her friend, despite the coughs still lurking in her esophagus. "S'okay, Sango-chan," she gurgled, "I understand." She broke off into a bought of coughing, drawing concerned looks from everybody present.

"Kagome?" InuYasha whined, nudging her cheek with his nose. "Is somethin' wrong? I mean, besides the sweating sickness?"

Kagome was silent for a few seconds before replying. "...Gonna throw up," she moaned.

InuYasha's ears stood up straight as he started dragging himself over to a bucket sitting next to the fire-pit. Curses started flying from his lips when he swiped for the bucket, missed and fell over. Miroku darted forward and lifted the bucket, passing it to the hanyou rather than to Kagome. InuYasha snatched it and managed to shove himself back over to Kagome. He helped her sit up and positioned her head over the bucket. Kagome coughed a few more times, then retched as the tea Kaede had given her made its reappearance in the world. Miroku, Sango and InuYasha felt their stomachs twist at the rancid stench of vomit, but managed not to show their discomfort.

"Uuuuurgh..." Kagome moaned, rolling over after the last of the tea left her system, "Do not feel good..."

"Dammit, K'gome," the hanyou whined, pulling her close to his chest, "Why aren't you getting any better?"

No-one had an answer to the hanyou's inquiry.

* * *

><p><em>AN: You know the drill-school, lack of inspiration, video games...Many distractions inhibiting the fanfic process. =P_

_On the other hand...I wish all of my readers a very Happy Halloween! I hope you all eat/get plenty of candy!  
><em>


	44. The Price of Freedom

It was a quiet night back in Kaede's hut. Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara sat hunched around the fire, as though it were the middle of winter rather than the closing of summer. Each and every one of them were thinking about Kagome and InuYasha. Were their friends ever going to get better? Would InuYasha ever be able to walk again? Would Kagome recover from the combined illnesses she suffered from currently? The questions whirled around in their heads until nothing else remained.

"Are you sure that there's _nothing _we can do?" Sango asked for the twentieth time. Kaede looked up from the medicine she was preparing. Her brow furrowed in slight annoyance at the repetitive round of questioning, but she humored them with the same answer she'd given them the first nineteen times they'd asked.

"No, Sango, there is nothing you can do," she told them, crushing the medicine with her pestle to create a salve. "I have tried everything I know to cure both of them, and yet nothing seems to be working. InuYasha's wound is mending properly, yet he is still unable to walk. The medicines for sweating sickness and red-eye disease have all been prepared properly, yet Kagome cannot stomach them." Kaede sighed deeply and looked at the green goo she had prepared. "I am afraid to admit that this might be beyond my expertise."

This was nothing they had not expected, yet the gloom that had settled over the group grew thicker at Kaede's negative words. No-one spoke for a few minutes, the fire providing the only sounds as the gloom thickened like drying blood. Miroku prodded the fire morosely, intensely aware of the gathering tears in the eyes of both Sango and Shippou as they stared into the fire. How could so hopeless a feeling still be lurking over their heads even though Naraku was dead and gone?

Then, he thought of something. Slowly, the houshi reached into his robes and withdrew the shining pink orb resting within. Everyone started and stared at the Shikon-no-Tama as if they had never before beheld its fiercely burning form. The jewel caught the light of the fire and reflected it in a thousand different fragments of rainbow waves, shimmering with power as it rested in the palm of Miroku's hand.

"Could we, perhaps, use this to help them?" he asked quietly. Kaede blinked several times before answering, warily eying the jewel as if it would jump up out of Miroku's hand and start snarling.

"I would not advise it," she cautioned. "It is true that the Shikon-no-Tama has the ability to temper injuries, but its power always comes with a price. There is the risk that we would end up making both of them even worse."

Miroku nodded before turning to the other two. "And you?" he prompted.

Sango bit her lip. "I don't know...It _is _true that the Shikon-no-Tama holds great power, but it is also true that those who use it eventually end up unhappy." She thought about it for a few seconds before continuing with, "But it really isn't our choice, either. I think the decision should be up to InuYasha and Kagome-chan."

Shippou put one tiny hand to his chin thoughtfully, rubbing it like he had seen his father do when he was thinking. "Papa always said that the best-looking remedies were often the worst ones," he offered. "And...and it was the shikon-no-kakera that got him killed." The kitsune sniffled a little bit at the memory of his father's death, but continued. "I dunno if you should use it or not, but Sango is right, I think. This doesn't _really _affect us...well, it sorta does, but..." the kit trailed off, unable to voice the rest of his thoughts.

Miroku reflected on what the others had said before making his final decision. "Very well, then, we'll leave it up to InuYasha and Kagome-sama to-" he cut off as a new thought occurred to him. "Kaede-sama," he started, turning toward the old miko, "Does InuYasha know that Naraku has been defeated?"

Kaede thought about it for a few seconds, her eye drifting to the ceiling as she reflected over the events of the past few days. "...No, I don't think he does," she admitted. "He is too concerned with healing Kagome and trying to walk to ask about what happened during the fight with Naraku."

Miroku chuckled slightly, using his staff to push himself to his feet. "Then I think my hanyou friend might be in for a surprise."

"Surely you're not going over there right now?" Sango asked incredulously, one eyebrow arching as she watched the houshi moving toward the reed mat. "It's nighttime."

"No time like the present, as Kagome-sama is fond of saying," Miroku reminded her. "If we are going to try to use this Shikon-no-Tama to help our friends, better now than never at all." With that, the houshi moved the reed mat aside and strode out into the night. A rustling sound behind him told him that Sango had come outside, too. Miroku paused and turned around, a slight smile on his face as he cocked an eyebrow at her. Sango merely blushed and mumbled something under her breath. Miroku shook his head slightly, but continued on, moving in the direction of the storage house that was the temporary encampment for their invalid friends.

* * *

><p>The fire had long since burned to embers when InuYasha was startled out of his light sleep by Kagome's hacking coughs. He whined softly as he pulled himself closer to where she was curled up, the sheet covering her vibrating in time with her fiercely trembling body. A string of mental curses danced in his head as he curled up around her, hating the cold that radiated through her body. In all of his two hundred years of life (not counting the fifty he had spent pinned to the Goshinboku) InuYasha had never seen someone with the sweating sickness suffering so much, even in the worst parts of the filthiest cities. What could possibly be wrong with Kagome?<p>

If that weren't bad enough, his back _still _wasn't healed properly. Like he had told Miroku and Sango, the wound he'd gotten from Sesshoumaru hadn't even been one half as bad as this one, and _that _was counting the poisons that had coursed through his body for a couple of days afterward. Was it because Mujōna had stabbed him while he was human? InuYasha didn't really know or care at this point: all he wanted was to stand up and be able to take Kagome back to the Heisei jidai so she could get the medicine she needed. But his damn legs still felt like two chunks of rock, awkward and unwieldy.

A sudden commotion at the door to the storage hut made InuYasha jerk up, his body stiff, his eyes fixed on the door. A soft growl reverberated through his frame, making him lean forward slightly as his body quivered, ready for action. The door slid smoothly open, revealing two dark forms. InuYasha growled warningly, ears lying flat on his head as he exposed his fangs to the trespassers. Maybe his legs _were _crippled, but InuYasha was rather creative when it came to fighting, or, more specifically, defending Kagome.

"InuYasha, it's us-stop growling!" Sango commanded, glaring at the golden balls of light that were InuYasha's eyes. The hanyou stopped growling, though he did still look a little wary.

"What the hell are you two doing here this late at night?" InuYasha asked suspiciously, instinctively moving into a protective huddle over Kagome's prone form. The miko was stirring, making a few sickly noises as she tried to rise. InuYasha pushed her back down, still glaring at the two intruders. "Kagome needs to sleep."

"Sorry for the intrusion, InuYasha," Miroku apologized, reaching over to the small woodpile beside the fireplace and throwing a log on the embers to renew the fire, "but we had a proposition for you that couldn't wait until morning." Sango nodded her agreement with the houshi's statement, sitting down beside him as he talked. InuYasha eyed them suspiciously, putting one hand on Kagome's back as she tried to get up again.

"What kinda propo-whatever?" he asked. Miroku looked at Sango, who nodded. Slowly, not taking his eyes off the hanyou's face, Miroku reached into his robes and withdrew the Shikon-no-Tama, proffering it to his friend.

For a few seconds, InuYasha just stared at the jewel as if he had never seen it before, his eyes as wide and round as two coins, his mouth hanging open in a perfect, fang-ringed 'O.' Then, his mouth closed with a sharp snap as his eyes narrowed. "How in the name of the seven hells did you get the Shikon-no-Tama?" he demanded.

Even though Miroku knew about his friend's lack of knowledge, he couldn't help his raised eyebrow at the hanyou's fierce inquiry. "Naraku was killed while you were unconscious, InuYasha. That's how we got the Shikon-no-Tama."

InuYasha gawped at the houshi, as if he had just suggested that he and Sesshoumaru should try to live together for the rest of their lives. A minute or two passed during which InuYasha's mouth worked, though no words came out. Then, he finally spoke. "He's...he's..._dead?_" Miroku nodded. InuYasha's face went from astounded to angry to put out in a matter of seconds. "How can that bastard be dead?" he said, a hint of a whine in his voice. "I didn't even..." he trailed off, his lips set in a faint pout. Miroku and Sango tried very hard not to laugh, but it was a close thing.

"If you want someone to blame for killing Naraku, don't look at us," Sango said, her lips twitching slightly. "It was Kagome-chan who dealt the final blow."

If the hanyou had been surprised before, he was absolutely floored now. "_Kagome _killed him?"

The faint trace of joviality faded from Miroku's face. "Yes, she did. And it was the most frightening thing I think I've ever seen. She was entirely _other _when she wielded the arrow against Naraku; for a second or two, I almost thought Kikyou was standing there, her eyes were so cold."

InuYasha's eyes narrowed at the houshi's comparison. "What do you mean by that?" he growled. Kagome started coughing again as he spoke, as if she knew that they were talking about her. One of the hanyou's hands trailed to her back, gently rubbing it even as he continued to glare at Miroku.

"InuYasha, you of all people should know how much Kagome loves you," Miroku pointed out. "When she thought that you had died...I think a part of her had died along with you. Her moods were unstable, but her powers..." Miroku trailed off, unable to think of a way to explain it to InuYasha. How could he, when he himself didn't even know what had happened?

Kagome finally succeeded in rising up at that moment, her eyes wrenching open to reveal brown surrounded by bloody red. She wobbled unsteadily, her body still trembling with cold. InuYasha instantly left off glaring at Miroku to support Kagome, wincing at the sound of her breathing; the gummy sounds were punctuated with a terrible wheezing. "Wench, can't you stay asleep?" he cursed, though the words carried no venom.

Kagome shook her head slowly. "Do'wanna seep anymo," she gurgled, her voice choked with mucus. "Wadda yer talkin' bout?"

Before InuYasha could reply, Miroku held up the Shikon-no-Tama, knowing that even if Kagome couldn't see it, she could sense it. "We have come to offer you the Shikon-no-Tama, Kagome-sama," he stated. "If you want to use it, that is."

Kagome's eyes narrowed slightly, forcing more goo out of the corners. "Why?" she asked. Damn, her voice sounded bad! She tried to surreptitiously clear her throat, but ended up coughing instead.

Miroku shrugged. "Maybe the jewel has the power to do what we mortals cannot: maybe it can restore you two to health."

InuYasha looked skeptical. "Since when has the jewel _ever _done what you fuckin' wanted it to?" he asked. Sango flashed a quick look at Miroku, who ignored her.

"Just think about it, InuYasha." Miroku placed the Shikon-no-Tama on one of the nearby barrels before rising from where he sat and turning toward the door. "Come, Sango, we shall let these two get their rest; Kami knows they need it." Sango dithered for a few seconds before nodding and following after Miroku. The door slid open and shut again, then the two invalids were alone.

"Wadda we gonna do?" Kagome sniffled, wishing she had her handkerchief. InuYasha glared at the jewel before turning back to her.

"How am I supposed to fuckin' know?" he asked rudely. "Anyway, the Shikon-no-Tama won't cure your illnesses _or _heal my back: that much I _do _know."

Kagome sniffed again, blinking hard to try and clear the goop out of her eyes. InuYasha's ire faded somewhat as he watched the poor miko, her eyes a bloody red and her breathing sounding much worse than before. "Kami, Kagome, what the hell's wrong with you?" he moaned softly, pulling her closer to his chest. "I've _never _seen anyone with sweating sickness suffer this much before!"

"Dat's cuz it iffn't swedding signess," Kagome managed to say. InuYasha looked at her as if she had spouted out nonsense. (Which, in all fairness, wasn't that far off.)

"What the hell do you mean by _that?_" he asked, head cocked. Kagome sniffed again, coughing slightly before answering.

"Id's dot da flu," she clarified (sort of), "Id's duemonia. I dunno where da nausea or shivers are cobing frob, though."

"It's what?" InuYasha asked, ears folding back slightly as his brow furrowed. Kagome tried to sigh, but half-way through it turned into a hacking cough. She gasped in air afterwards, her breathing wheezing worse than ever. When she was finally able to speak, it was clear that she was trying her utmost to speak clearly.

"It's pneumonia, dot the flu," she told him. "I've been tryig to tell you for days dow, but...well..." Kagome trailed off, sure that InuYasha wouldn't really need to hear the rest of the explanation, seeing as they hadn't been separated since they had been incapacitated.

"Is pneu-mo-nia bad?" the hanyou asked, fervently wishing he knew as much about human illnesses as Kaede did so he would understand what was wrong with her. Kagome squinted in thought, one hand going to her chest as her breath wheezed in and out of her mouth.

"Back home, dot really," she finally decided. "Bud over here...I thig id's fatal over here."

InuYasha's ears popped up as his back stiffened, his eyes slowly widening as he took in what Kagome said. Then he launched himself at a nearby barrel, seizing its rim and using it to push himself into a pseudo standing position. His fangs were bared in a snarl as he slowly, gradually gained height, almost getting up onto his knees before the barrel tilted over and dumped the hanyou onto the floor. With a screech of rage he frantically clawed his way over to another barrel and repeated the process. Kagome watched him for a little bit before crawling over to him as fast as she was able, ignoring the protesting burn of her chest and the churning inside her stomach. Reaching out, she was able to grab the hanyou's shoulders just as he was about to claw his way up the opposite wall.

"Don't!" she cried. "You'll ed ub hurting yourself!"

"I don't care!" he yowled, though he did hold still, unwilling to hurt Kagome in his endeavor to climb to his feet. "I'm going to save you, Kagome, and if hurting myself is the only way to do that, then-"

"How do you think I feel about that?" she asked, laying her burning face in between the hanyou's shoulder blades. "You were hurt because of me. How do you think I would feel if you hurt yourself even more-_because of me?_"

InuYasha whined softly as he turned back to face Kagome. "That's not true," he whimpered, hating the pathetic tone of his voice. "It was _my _fault that I got hurt, not yours."

Kagome shook her head, blinking rapidly as tears rose in her eyes, making them burn even worse than they already had been burning as the starry drops mixed with the yellow goo. "I should have taken the shot before you were stabbed...but I didn't."

InuYasha slowly turned around and pulled Kagome closer to him, burying his nose in her hair and letting his eyes drift closed. "No, Kagome. I shoulda fuckin' realized that Kikyou was being possessed by Mujōna, _and," _he added before Kagome could start arguing again, "I should've taken cover like you told me. So it's my fault. End of story." With that, he pushed Kagome back down onto the futon she had been inhabiting for the past few days. "Now go back to sleep, Kagome. I'll tell the baba that you have pneu-whatever tomorrow, so maybe she can start giving you a different treatment."

Kagome nodded slowly and pulled the sheet back over herself. InuYasha stayed up just long enough to hear Kagome's gurgling breaths slow down into a sleep-like pattern, then he curled up around her, trying to keep the miko's body warm as he drifted off to sleep, still wondering about what he could do.

Kagome waited until the hanyou's breathing had slowed down before she opened her eyes again. She didn't really feel like sleeping right now: her body was hurting again, like it had been ever since InuYasha had woken up. That was really when the nausea had started up, as well as the shivers. The symptoms of pneumonia didn't include stomachaches or chills, leaving Kagome to wonder what on Earth could be causing them. Her fevered mind wasn't in a state to come up with many theories, however, and her voice was too full of phlegm and coughs to be able to communicate that much.

All that was dust in the wind compared to InuYasha. Kagome was sure that the injury he'd sustained in his human form had sliced through his vertebrae, right at the junction that controlled motor function of the legs. If the wound and its effects had been carried over into his hanyou form instead of being healed like they sometimes were, Kagome guessed that meant InuYasha was permanently crippled. That one fact made her feel worse than her illnesses and the strange feeling inside her body put together. InuYasha wasn't meant to be confined to a wheelchair or a bed: he was a rover, a wanderer, free as the wind and just as wild. To take that away from him would kill his spirit and make him into something he was never meant to be.

The miko's dull fingers scrabbled around in the dust lining the floor between the barrels, searching for the object she could sense lying in the shadow of a toppled barrel. Her hand slowly closed around the small, strangely warm form of the Shikon-no-Tama, bringing it back up to her chest and pressing it close to her pounding heart. It felt like she had just placed her hand on a naked wire; a current was thrumming through her body, the power driving away all thoughts of illness and pain. Like iron filings drawn to a magnet, Kagome's body slowly curled up, her limbs trying to get closer to the dazzling pink jewel. Without warning, fatigue drenched every part of her body, like the miko had suddenly been shot with a tranquilizer. Her eyelids trembled, shuddered, then closed as sleep fell over Kagome as swiftly as someone turning out the lights back in her era.

* * *

><p><em>With a start, Kagome jerked up from where she had lain down. But she wasn't in the storehouse on the edge of the village; in fact, she didn't really know <em>_**where **__she was. The sky overhead was filled with stars, but no moon was present. The field of grass seemed to stretch on for ages, though it was broken by a blue glow somewhere in the distance. Kagome rose to her feet, looking left and right, searching for someone else and panicking when she couldn't find anyone. _

_"Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there?" _

_(Do not fret, miko. You are not alone.)_

_Kagome let out a tiny shriek as a figure materialized in front of her. The figure smiled slightly as it stepped forward, revealing itself to be a woman. She looked ethereal, as if she wasn't truly there. Other than that, she seemed like a pretty ordinary human, save for the fact that her eyes were glowing. Her body was bound in armor, like a samurai's, but in place of a helmet, she simply wore a band about her brow. Her black hair flowed out behind her, though to Kagome's knowledge there was no wind in this place. The figure was familiar, though-where had Kagome seen her before..._

_The idea finally penetrated her brain, so simple and yet so complicated that Kagome felt exhilarated and confused at the same time. _

_"Are you...Midoriko?" she asked, her voice timid. The long-dead miko paused, the glow in her eyes pulsing slightly as she considered. _

_(Midoriko...yes, we once went by that name. It was so long ago that we had forgotten that.) Midoriko's eyes brightened, making Kagome flinch to look into them. (But as we are now, you would know us better as 'the Shikon-no-Tama.')_

_The young woman gawped at Midoriko, her eyes becoming wary. "The...the Shikon-no-Tama? But...but wasn't there supposed to be a youkai in the jewel along with Midoriko?" _

_(We are all here,) Midoriko stated. (The light and dark. The pure and defiled. The human and youkai. The yin and the yang. For the first time in many centuries, we are one and the same. We are held in the hand of pure good, and our purpose is clear.)_

_"What is that?" Kagome asked. Midoriko did not answer, but instead turned around and gestured for Kagome to follow her. Stumbling slightly in an effort to follow her, Kagome trailed behind, eager and at the same time apprehensive at this unusual turn of events. _

_Midoriko paused at the edge of a vast blue expanse, like the sea, and yet a thousand times more beautiful, as if every wave carried a thousand diamonds. Kagome gasped when she caught sight of it, awestruck. Midoriko smiled slightly as she looked over at her. _

_(This is a sight many humans never see in their life,) she stated. (The River of Starlight. Beyond it, the Other World, or Nirvana, we think you humans call it. This is the end, the border between the world of the living and the world of those who have passed on. We thought it would be a fitting place for us to talk.) _

_"So, what did you mean about your purpose being clear?" Kagome asked, sinking down onto the bank of the River of Starlight and letting her fingers trail through the eerily sparkling waters. Midoriko remained standing, her gaze fixed on the sparkling waters in front of her. _

_(Think, miko. We were reborn inside of you, so you are closer to us than anyone else in the entire world. We believe that you alone hold the power to rid the world of us forever.) Midoriko's eyes closed, eclipsing the bright glow from her eyes as she turned her face up toward the starry sky. (The Shikon-no-Tama has created a history stained with blood and tears, and for that, we are forever sorry. You must act now, miko. Destroy us now before more people suffer.)_

_Kagome looked up at the miko, her face confused and sad. "What can I do?" she asked sadly. "I'm deathly ill right now with pneumonia, conjunctivitis and some other third thing. Even if I wasn't sick, there still wouldn't be anything else for me to do."_

_Midoriko's eyes opened with a snap. Slowly, she looked down at Kagome, the white glow growing brighter as she stared at the young miko. (You are not as weak as you think you are, miko,) she stated. (We know different. The illnesses wracking your body have nothing to do with weakness.) Kagome still looked confused, prompting her to continue. (Remember, miko-how was Kikyou resurrected?)_

_Kagome blinked, taken aback by the question that had seemingly come out of left field. "Urasue made her a body out of graveyard soil and bones, then she put my soul into her body. I got most of it back, but-"_

_(Exactly.) Midoriko's eyes blazed still brighter, burning through the dark place like a headlight. Kagome had to focus on the River in order to not be blinded. (Even after you took your soul back, Kikyou still held a small piece. She was killed by Naraku, and shortly before your hanyou woke up, she passed on. But your soul still has a claim on that little piece she has. It is struggling to pull it back into itself without tumbling into death itself. This inner turmoil is the reason why your body refuses to heal-because your soul is starting to reject its flesh in its struggle to regain that one piece.)_

_The grim words seemed to stretch on into infinity, making the stars flicker slightly as the River of Starlight surged forward, nearly splashing Kagome as it frothed. The miko, meanwhile, was staring at the spirit of the Shikon-no-Tama, her eyes wide. "You mean...I'm __**dying?**__" she gasped. Kagome had guessed that, while she did have pneumonia, it wasn't really as dire as she said it was. To hear that her soul was killing itself, however, was an entirely different ball of wax._

_(You could say that,) Midoriko agreed. (The turmoil in your soul is pushing your body to its limit and makes it reject food, water, and medicine. But, enough of that. We must ask you again: will you help us?)_

_Kagome thought about it for a few seconds before standing up again, trying her best to look the taller miko in the eye. "What do you want me to do?" she asked. _

_Midoriko smiled, a true smile this time, her eyes dimming to a warm glow. (We are grateful. The task for you is simple, miko. Just make a wish on us, and we shall be purified. You are the one who is closest to us, so you can purify us and send us to the grave that has been denied to us for so many centuries.) _

_"Any sort of wish?" _

_(We think so.) _

_The answer was already in Kagome's head. She had tried to find the Shikon-no-Tama in the dark because InuYasha would never be able to walk again, and it had held his only chance of salvation. Never mind what happened to her, InuYasha had to be saved. Kagome faced Midoriko, her resolve clearly written on her face. _

_"Then, Shikon-no-Tama, please heal InuYasha. The wound Mujōna gave him stole his ability to walk, and I know he'll die inside if he realizes that he'll never be able to walk again. Please, Shikon-no-Tama, save InuYasha and return his freedom to him." Kagome felt tears pricking her eyes as the underlying tone in her voice shifted to a beg. Midoriko blinked at Kagome, and for a few seconds, she thought that the miko would turn her down. The tears threatened to burst forth from her eyes as a small sob escaped her throat. _

_(Then it shall be done,) Midoriko stated. (Your unselfishness surprises even the Shikon-no-Tama, miko.) _

_Instantly, the fog of depression lifted from Kagome's soul as the bright light of hope took its place. She smiled at Midoriko, her eyes sparkling like the River of Starlight. "Thank you so much," she half-cried. "InuYasha...he means __**so **__much to me, and watching him suffer..." Kagome trailed off, unable to voice her innermost thoughts. Midoriko's smile became kinder as she reached out and touched Kagome's shoulder. _

_(There is no need to say. We know what is in your heart, miko. The love you feel for the hanyou cleanses us and everyone around you.) The spirit paused, as if something had occurred to it. (Speaking of the hanyou...can we make a suggestion?)_

_Kagome's eyes narrowed slightly, but she nodded. (Do not worry,) Midoriko clarified, (We do not intend to do the job by half. We just wondered if you could try to heal yourself.)_

_"Heal myself?" Kagome asked, her brow furrowing. "How?"_

_(We think...if you stayed here, in the borderland, you might be able to find a way to let go of your missing piece of soul. Kikyou is, after all, not an essential part of your soul. Stay here and let your soul learn how to let her go, then your body will heal. At least, we think it will.) Midoriko reached out and grabbed Kagome's hands, wringing them slightly. (It is part of your wish, when you think about it. We can only heal InuYasha's body. Only you can heal his heart, and to do that, you must find a way to survive.)_

_Kagome thought about it for a few seconds before nodding. "Okay, I'll stay here. What will happen to my body in the meantime?"_

_(We believe your people call it a 'coma.' Your body will remain unconscious until you return,) Midoriko informed her. (As long as you don't cross over the River of Starlight, you will not die.)_

_Kagome nodded again and sat back down, watching the starry river flow into the darkness surrounding the field. "One more think, Shikon-no-Tama. Please tell InuYasha what you're doing. I don't want him to get too...you know."_

_To Kagome's surprise, Midoriko actually laughed. (We know, miko. Remember, the hanyou briefly held us in his hand, and we saw inside his heart during those short minutes. We know that he does not like to be surprised.) Midoriko turned away and headed for the darkness that surrounded the opposite side of the field. _

_"Will I see you again?" Kagome called after her. Midoriko paused, looking back at the miko's small form. _

_(The next time you see us, we will be crossing over. This will be the last act of the Shikon-no-Tama, and the last time we shall truly be conscious.) With that, Midoriko vanished as swiftly as she had come, leaving Kagome to sit by herself at the edge of the River, totally alone. With a small sigh, Kagome let her head rest on her knees. _

_"I hope I can figure out how to let go of Kikyou soon," she mumbled. "I don't think I can stand being alone for too long." She turned her face up to the heavens and the never-ending plain of stars stretching overhead. But her thoughts were back on Earth, or, more specifically, lingering over the image of a beautiful silver-haired dog-eared man, his golden-eyed visage the most wonderful thing she had ever beheld. Kagome turned her face away from the sky, blinking back tears at the thought of he that she so loved. _

_"InuYasha...I hope you'll be all right..."  
><em>

* * *

><p>(Wake up, hanyou. You must wake up.)<p>

InuYasha jerked out of his light doze, his eyes flying open as he surged upwards, making a grab for Tetsusaiga, which had been placed by his bed. Upon inspection of the dark hut, however, InuYasha couldn't see an enemy. He was just about to go back to sleep when it happened again.

(Do not fear, hanyou. We mean you no harm.)

It took InuYasha a few seconds to realize that the voice was inside his head, and there really was no-one in the hut, save for himself and Kagome. "If you mean us no harm, then show yourself!" he hissed, trying not to wake up the sleeping miko at his side.

(We cannot, for we do not possess a corporeal body.) Before InuYasha could scoff or ask what corporeal meant, the voice continued. (At the miko's behest, we return to you that which was wrongfully stolen. In return, we ask that you care for the miko and do not be alarmed at what will transpire. She will recover...in time. We bid you farewell, hanyou.) There was a small sigh, as if a gust of wind had blown through the room, and then InuYasha's hackles dropped as the presence faded from his mind.

_'What the hell was that all about? What did it mean, return that which was stolen? Nobody stole a fuckin' thing from me!' _InuYasha scowled as he stretched. Stupid fuckin' dreams and their stupid fuckin' cryptic messages. Nobody had stolen a damn thing from him in months, why should-

The hanyou's thoughts screeched to a stop as a new thought presented itself in his mind. True, no _item _had been stolen from InuYasha, but something far more important had. Was _that _what the voice had meant?

_'No...impossible...it was just a dream!' _Yet, InuYasha couldn't stop himself as he put his hands on the floor and pushed himself up. The leaden feeling that had been omnipresent since he had first woken up after the battle with Naraku was absent, his muscles responding just as easily as if the wound had never occurred. InuYasha rose to his feet, wobbling slightly since he had been bedridden for so long. The hanyou's eyes were wide, his pupils the thinnest of slits as he steadied himself. Could it be real...could it just be a cruel figment of his imagination?

But time passed and nothing happened. InuYasha remained standing, his body quivering slightly as if impatient. His breath came in faster and faster gulps as his eyes widened impossibly further. Then, his mouth slowly stretched into a fanged grin as the reality of the situation sunk in. With a howl of joy he leaped for the door, shoving it out of his way as he pushed off into the night.

How he had missed this feeling! The wind generated by his intense speed slammed into InuYasha's face and blew his mane off his back, though he paid it no heed. The hanyou bent his knees and kicked himself off the ground, soaring into the air and landing on the top of one of the surrounding trees, then deftly climbed down the trunk, his claws finding easy purchase in the soft bark. Then, just for the hell of it, InuYasha performed some acrobatics, flipping and cartwheeling about, high off his freedom, ending the show with a perfectly executed corkscrew twist.

Damn, it felt so _good _to be able to move again! InuYasha had hated his confinement with a vengeance, and the unexpected end had him as frisky as a young pup. Wait until he showed Kagome, that would undoubtedly-

InuYasha's thoughts slammed to a stop as his happiness abruptly abated. What the hell was he _doing _out here? He'd left Kagome totally unprotected-though, now that he thought about it, Tetsusaiga was back in the hut, too, so she wouldn't be _totally _defenseless. Cursing himself to no end, InuYasha jogged back to the hut, glad, at least, that he hadn't gone full youkai due to the force of his excitement.

He made it back to the storage hut in record time, his ears already plastering to his head in anticipation of the shouting he was sure to get from Kagome. Sick or not, nobody would be able to sleep after hearing a hanyou yowl right next to them. _'Damn, what was I thinking?' _he wondered, though he still felt a small thrill zing through his body with every step he took.

To his surprise, however, Kagome was still sleeping, curled up into a small ball. _'Guess I wasn't as loud as I thought I was,' _he thought, a small smirk rising on his face. The smirk vanished as soon as he got close enough to see how Kagome was lying: her body was curled up around her chest, with one hand clutching her breast tightly. Was she hurting?

InuYasha crouched down next to Kagome, whining softly at the sight of her too-pale face. Reaching out, he caught hold of the hand clutching her chest and prised it loose. It was instantly clear that Kagome was holding something in her hand; it was far too firm and stiff given its position. InuYasha carefully uncurled Kagome's fingers to see what the object inside was.

The Shikon-no-Tama rolled out of Kagome's hand and thudded to the floor before InuYasha could catch it. Muttering words that would surely earn him an 'osuwari' from Kagome, the hanyou bent down to retrieve it. Before his hand could even get close to it, there was a splintering sound. Nonplussed, InuYasha watched as first one crack, then another and another spread over the jewel's surface. When the cracks had covered the entirety of the Shikon-no-Tama, the jewel burst into a million pink sparkles, each sparkle fading before it touched the ground.

_'The hell?' _InuYasha thought, gaping at the place where the Shikon-no-Tama had been. What just happened?

Then, slowly, inevitably, InuYasha's thoughts went to what had woken him up. The voice...could that voice have been...the Shikon-no-Tama? Suddenly, it all made sense: Kagome had wished on the Shikon-no-Tama and it had healed his back and made him able to walk once more. Then it had destroyed itself, though InuYasha didn't know why that had happened. But...but...what now?

"Kagome," he called softly, reaching out and shaking her shoulder. If there had ever been a moment where he had really needed to talk to her, this one out-shadowed all the rest. Kagome didn't stir. InuYasha shook her a little harder, calling louder. Kagome still didn't wake.

An awful thought occurred to the hanyou, one that sent shivers down his spine and made his blood run as cold as ice. Could the wish Kagome made on the Shikon-no-Tama have demanded her life in return for his mended spine?

"No...dammit, you better not have...Wake up, Kagome!" he pleaded, picking her up off the ground and shaking her harder. Kagome's eyes remained closed, her head moving limply in time with the hanyou's frantic motions. Eyes widening, InuYasha seized Kagome's chin and made her face him, his eyes boring into her closed ones. "Dammit, wake up! _Wake up, Kagome!" _

Nothing. Not even one blink. Kagome's body was still, motionless, lifeless. The inu-hanyou let out a low, moaning whine as he pulled the miko's body close to his, trying his best to blink back the tears that were rising in his eyes. He nuzzled her neck, kissed her cheek and even dared to nip her earlobe, his heart thudding painfully in his chest at her lack of response. The next word that rose on his lips was barely a whisper, and yet it carried more meaning than his most howling shriek.

"Kagome..."

* * *

><p><em>AN: For those of you who have played Ōkami, the place where Kagome's 'dream' takes place is the tutorial level of the game. Also, InuYasha's acrobatic show was based on the cheerleaders at my school...though undoubtedly performed much better. =D _


	45. Starlit Savior

The trees rushed by in a whirl of green and brown, their falling leaves jerked into the slipstream left behind him as he ran as hard and fast as he could. Though the Bone-Eater's Well wasn't that far away from the storage hut, InuYasha didn't want to have to waste any more time. It had come as a tremendous relief to him when, upon further inspection of Kagome's prone form, he had discovered that she was still breathing. Unfortunately, she still wouldn't wake up, no matter what he did or said. So, without further ado, he had swept Kagome up and charged out the door.

The joy of running had long since dissipated in the face of Kagome's strange unconsciousness. InuYasha couldn't be happy about being able to walk again if Kagome had to sacrifice something to do so. Why the hell would she have done something like that? He'd been healing just fine on his own, why would she feel the need to use the Shikon-no-Tama?

'_There's no time for that,'_ he growled to himself, _'I can figure that shit out later. Right now, Kagome's more important.'_

His ears flattened slightly when he realized that, once again, he was bringing an unconscious Kagome home to her family. What would Mama Higurashi say about that? Would she demand that Kagome stay home with her family? Tell him that she was sorry, but there could be no way that her daughter would go back to that place? InuYasha supposed it was nothing more than he deserved, but the idea of Mama Higurashi's anger still made him whine.

The Bone-Eater's Well loomed in his vision, nondescript even amongst the field of flowers in which it lay. InuYasha hastened his pace, heart pounding at the familiar sight of the battered wooden well. With a powerful kick of his legs, the hanyou was in the air, soaring over the field in a few seconds and dropping straight into the well. For a few seconds, it didn't seem like the well would let them in-had it closed with the destruction of the Shikon-no-Tama? But, to the hanyou's great relief, the familiar lights enshrouded them, his free-fall slowing to a gentle drifting sensation. InuYasha clutched Kagome to his chest, his face determined. It hadn't been necessary this time around, but he had wrapped Kagome in his haori again, only putting on his kosode. (InuYasha may not have known how to be polite, but he knew enough to not walk around shirtless all the time.)

The lights of the time–slip soon faded away as InuYasha's feet touched ground again. The cacophony of the Heisei jidai thundered above him, making his ears flatten to his head. But he was back, back in the place where Kagome could get help. He jumped again, clearing the well in a couple of seconds and darting up the shrine's stairs. InuYasha threw open the door with one hand, clutching Kagome tightly with the other. Seconds later, he was speeding across the shrine grounds, his feet touching lightly on the smooth flagstones as he sought out his target.

Kagome's jii-chan was doing what he usually did in the mornings: sweeping the flagstones of his beloved shrine, ready for a new day and a busload of new chances to recant the shrine's tales to an eager audience. Upon hearing the faint pattering of feet on the stones, the old man looked up, searching for the source of the noise. His hopeful face became confused when he caught sight of InuYasha, then alarmed when the hanyou drew nearer and he could see Kagome lying in his arms, looking very much like she was unconscious. The aged broom clattered to the ground, totally forgotten, as Jii-chan stared at the prone form of his granddaughter, his rheumy eyes growing dim with dismay.

"Jiiji," InuYasha panted, skidding to a stop a few feet in front of him, "where's Kagome's mother?"

"Karu?" he asked, his voice rough with feebly suppressed anxiety. "She and Souta left on some trip or another. I stayed behind to care for the shrine. But...but what are you doing here?"

InuYasha's ears drooped in shame, ducking down behind his bangs as he looked toward the ground. Had the hanyou possessed a tail, it surely would have retreated between his legs. "I...Kagome, she..." In the end, InuYasha was unable to say it. He felt lower than dirt for bringing the Higurashi clan's daughter home unconscious again. Dammit, how could he have let this happen?

"What? What's wrong with my granddaughter?" Higurashi Takao's wrinkled brow wrinkled even further as his eyes blazed with the bright fires usually associated with his story-telling. "What happened over _there?_" The old priest crossed his arms over his chest and looked sternly at the hanyou, managing to tower over him, even though InuYasha had a good foot or two on him in height.

"I...I don't know, dammit!" InuYasha snapped, irritation mixing with helplessness and general sadness. A few seconds later he calmed down. There was no use yelling at the old man; _he_ wasn't the one who had let something weird happen to Kagome because of a magical jewel. Trying hard to wrestle his runaway motions under control, InuYasha elaborated somewhat. "It's...a long story."

Jii-chan huffed, but concern for his eldest grandchild soon replaced his anger with InuYasha. "Bring her indoors, then. Should I call Emergency?"

InuYasha shrugged. How would he know? Jii-chan huffed again, irritation only present in the slight wrinkling of his brow. "If I knew what happened, I would know what to do," he grumbled.

"Let me put Kagome down somewhere, then I'll tell you, jijii," InuYasha growled. Jii-chan sighed slightly, but nodded and began walking off toward the shrine. InuYasha followed in his wake, holding Kagome as close to his chest as it was possible for her to be. She was still breathing, which soothed him, but she wasn't waking up, which worried him. What was _wrong _with her?

Jii-chan barely got the door open before InuYasha was shoving past him, darting through the house, up the stairs and bursting into Kagome's bedroom. Despite the-what was it now; two, maybe three weeks-of being uninhabited? Kagome's bedroom didn't smell or feel that different. It was a little musty, but that didn't bother the hanyou _too _much. Without pausing, InuYasha walked swiftly over to the bed, reaching out with one hand and yanking the pink covers back. Then, he carefully, reverently placed Kagome on the soft mattress, drawing the covers up to her chest with a gentility that was foreign to him.

A creak outside the door told InuYasha that Jii-chan had come up to Kagome's room. InuYasha didn't turn around, silently waiting for the old man to speak.

"I called Emergency. They'll be here in about fifteen minutes." With a sigh, Jii-chan walked over and dropped down into Kagome's frilly pink chair. InuYasha's ears twitched at the sound of popping bones emanating from the geezer's body. "Now, about that 'long story' you were talking about, boy..."

InuYasha sat down on the edge of the bed, keeping his face averted from the old man's. Slowly, but gaining speed as his desperation to be understood came forth, InuYasha recanted the story to Jii-chan, starting with Kagome's return to the Sengoku jidai and ending with the events of the previous night. When he had finished, InuYasha looked to Jii-chan, as if trying to find approval.

"...Sounds like you've had a pretty hard time of it," the old man finally commented.

_'Understatement of the fuckin' century, jijii,' _InuYasha thought, but kept his mouth shut. Jii-chan rose from the chair with a small grunt and moved over to the head of the bed, reaching out to pat Kagome's cheek with his withered fingers.

"The Shikon-no-Tama has always been a source of great mystery," Jii-chan said, obviously trying hard to sound wise. "Who knows what might have happened when Kagome made that wish? But, I suppose time will tell us the story."

A few minutes later, the wail of approaching sirens announced the arrival of the paramedics. This time, since Kagome wasn't bleeding all over the place, Jii-chan and InuYasha were allowed to squeeze into the back of the ambulance. It was tight and hectic, but they somehow managed. The EMTs fired a rapid string of questions at the pair of them, medical jargon flying back and forth between them during pauses in the conversation. Jii-chan answered most of them to the best of his ability while InuYasha stared at Kagome and concentrated on keeping his balance.

The ambulance screeched to a halt in front of the hospital. Quick as blinking, the EMTs seized the gurney Kagome was strapped onto and hauled her out of the vehicle. The hanyou hastened to follow, but was stopped by a withered old hand on his shoulder. He whipped around, glaring at Jii-chan with resentful golden eyes. "What the-" he started.

"Cover up your head, boy!" Takao demanded, whipping a bandana out of his haori and jerking it over InuYasha's ears. "Nobody needs to see those!"

InuYasha muttered darkly under his breath, tying the bandana into place as he ran after the paramedics. The EMTs had been joined by a couple of white robed doctors and some nurses. The doctors were asking the EMTs questions while the nurses started attaching needles and sensors to the prone girl on the bed. InuYasha tried to listen in on their conversation, but the bandana smothered his ears and the words being said by the doctors were confusing at best.

Finally, the flock of medicos turned into a nearby set of doors. The two men made to follow them, but were stopped by a tired-looking nurse. "No non-personnel in the X-ray room," she told them. "Please go to the waiting area."

Jii-chan nodded and turned away, doing his best to make sure a very irritated hanyou was following him.

* * *

><p><em>'Dammit, not this again,' <em>InuYasha whined internally, _'Fuckin' hell, how is it that I have to __**wait **__again?'_

There was no answer to the hanyou's silent inquiry, which was just as well. InuYasha's mood was so dark he was liable to snap at anybody who approached him, as three unlucky bystanders had already figured out. The entire waiting room seemed to have shifted to the safest area of the room, all of them occasionally flicking glances at the seated hanyou. They wouldn't understand, being from the Heisei jidai, but at that moment, InuYasha's youkai was seething, boiling, raging inside its cage of flesh. If Tetsusaiga had not been present, InuYasha might well have transformed out of helpless rage.

"Quiet down, will you?" Jii-chan asked. The old man was the only person left sitting on InuYasha's side of the room, since he was quite used to InuYasha by now. "There's no need to make a commotion."

InuYasha scowled darkly (there was an increase of whispering at that) but tried to get his impatient body under control. However, even after his best efforts, his leg still bounced, his claw still tapped, and his throat still growled. So he gave up, earning another glare from the old man. InuYasha simply glared right back at him before glowering at the wall again.

"Higurashi?"

Jii-chan rose, reaching out to grasp InuYasha's sleeve when the hanyou tried to run forward. That earned the old man another glare, but he ignored it, walking swiftly toward the white-garbed doctor standing in the hallway leading to the rest of the hospital. He seemed confused, scratching his balding thatch of black hair as he studied the clipboard he was holding.

"Yes?" Jii-chan asked when he got there. The doctor flicked one glance at InuYasha, shuddered at the angry look on the youth's face, then looked quickly back at the old priest.

"I have to admit, Higurashi-san, this is the most unusual case I have ever seen in my career, and there have been a lot of them. We gave your granddaughter a full-body x-ray, an MRI and a physical, and we got nothing. She's a perfectly healthy teenage girl. By all rights, she should be up and about right now."

Jii-chan nodded and was about to speak before InuYasha blurted, "You mean she's not sick?" The doctor looked at him, a little timidly. InuYasha looked evenly back at him, golden eyes alive with fierce concern.

"What do you mean?" the doctor asked, sounding puzzled.

"She's been sick for the past few days," InuYasha growled at the doctor with the tone of someone who is explaining to a toddler that one plus one equals two. The doctor blinked at the hanyou, as if this were an entirely new idea that he had never heard of.

"Not according to our examinations. As far as we can tell, she's never had a sick day in her life. Her body's healthy, her brain looks good, vital signs are normal; she shouldn't be in a coma."

Jii-chan blanched at the word 'coma.' He blinked, tears gathering in his great eyes. "Is she really in a coma?" he asked, visibly swallowing.

"All the signs are there," the doctor sighed, looking down at his clipboard. "No response to outside stimuli, no sign of normal sleep-wake functions, and all the rest. If she had been injured or had a history of diabetes or asthma, I would understand, but she's completely normal."

Jii-chan's face grew more worried with each word that fell from the doctor's mouth. "What will happen to my granddaughter now?" he asked, a faint pleading note in his voice.

The doctor smiled kindly at the old man and placed one of his hands on his shrunken shoulder. "We're doing everything we can," he told him. "I'll be honest: I don't know what to say at this point."

"Can we at least go see her?" InuYasha asked testily. The doctor looked at him again and blanched when InuYasha chose that moment to flash his fangs at him in a swift snarl.

"O-of course!" he stuttered, temporarily startled by the hanyou's fangs. "She's in the coma ward. I'll lead you there." With that, the doctor turned on his heel and began walking away. Jii-chan hastened to follow, InuYasha trailing behind him.

After a few sharp twists and turns, the doctor paused at a set of white double doors. "Please be respectful of other families and keep your voices down while in the intensive care ward," he told them before flinging the doors open and walking through.

The NICU ward was quiet, save for the sounds of burbles and chirps from the many machines, which were concealed, along with the people they were connected to, behind clean blue curtains on white rails. The scent of illness, festering wounds and medical cleaner commingled in the air, all of them smacking InuYasha in the face and making him want to vomit. The two humans didn't seem to notice, though, so he sucked it up and followed the doctor as he made his way through the maze of blue curtains. Finally, he halted beside one of the cubicles and peeked inside. The two men peeped around the white rails as well, trying to see what he was looking at.

At first, all InuYasha could see was a gurney laden with wires, tubes and other sorts of medical junk. Then, when he focused a little more, he was able to make out a small form stretched out on the thin white mattress. A few minutes of hard staring later, he realized that it was Kagome. A clear mask connected to a pulsating machine covered most of her face, obscuring it from view. Her hair had been twisted into clumps to make room for cables that were pasted to her head, the wires leading back to another machine. More wires trailed into her hospital gown; these were plugged into the familiar heart-rate monitor. Several needles were stuck at various points in her arms, leading back to Kami knew what else. The poor miko looked like some gruesome parody of a voodoo doll.

"The call button is right here if you need help," the doctor informed them, pointing to a nearby pole-the only permanent structure-with a bright red button stationed in the center. "Try not to touch the patient too much." With that, the doctor turned on his heel, presumably to help another patient, leaving them alone with the unconscious girl.

Words failed the two men as they slowly approached the prone woman and sat down in the scruffy folding chairs on either side of the gurney. Their hearts were heavy with sadness, making Jii-chan look centuries older and pushing down on the hanyou's shoulders. Seeing Kagome like this-unconscious and covered in wires-was somehow more terrible than watching her hack up a lung while blinking away yellow glop from her eyes.

_'Whatever you're suffering from now, Kagome, I hope it gets better soon,' _InuYasha thought, reaching out with trembling fingers and taking Kagome's hand. _'I...I love you too damn much to leave you in this place forever.'_

* * *

><p>The days passed in a haze, blurring together until InuYasha couldn't tell where one ended and the other began. It all was the same to him: fucking lonely. Like the previous time he had brought Kagome home, he spent all of his time in her room, soaking up her scent like a sponge, trying to absorb her essence to heal the gaping wound inside himself. While Kagome's scent did heal some parts of himself, it tore others wide open.<p>

Not for the first time, InuYasha thought back to what he now knew was the final fight. During that fight, he knew he would have (and almost did) battled to the bitter end just to taste Naraku's throat and get the vengeance he craved. Now, however, InuYasha would have traded all the treasures in the world-including Tetsusaiga-to go back and kick himself in the balls for deciding to continue fighting in his human form. If it hadn't been for that one decision, none of the following events would have happened. He wouldn't have gotten wounded, which wouldn't have made Kagome drive herself into the ground trying to save him and, ultimately, make the wish on the Shikon-no-Tama that put her in the state she was in now. But, as Kagome had said to him back in that first village, the past was the past, and there was no power on Earth, Nirvana or Hell that would undo it. InuYasha would just have to do the best he could to rectify the mistake now.

But what could he do? InuYasha willingly admitted that all he really knew how to do was swing his sword around and hack at youkai with his claws. Mental and spiritual stuff, on the other hand, was definitely _not _his forte. In that, the hanyou might as well be another human for all he knew about it. He had asked Jii-chan (the old man _was _supposed to be a priest, after all) what he should do, which had earned him the following reply: "All we can do is pray that the Kami will take pity upon us."

_'Feh!' _InuYasha snarled, jerking up and punching Kagome's pink pillow into a more comfortable shape-not that it really mattered, but it gave him something to do. _'Like the Kami would ever go easy on me. Who cares about a fuckin' dirty hanyou, right? Who cares about what I want?'_

_'Kagome does,' _a small voice informed him. The hanyou scowled and resisted the urge to pulverize the pillow with his claws. That little factoid was the reason Kagome was lying inside a hospital right now, relying on weird Heisei jidai machinery to keep her alive. If necessary, the doctor had informed them, the machinery would support her for as long as the coma persisted; weeks, months, even years if needed.

That thought brought an unpleasant reality to mind, one that sent shivers down InuYasha's spine and made a cold wave spread through his body. What if Kagome never woke up? What if she wasted away on that metal gurney, the strange 'illness' that made her sleep slowly sucking away her life until nothing remained? Those thoughts were so repellant, so mind warpingly ugly that they made a snarl/whine rise in the hanyou's throat, choking off as his stomach churned, his entire body rebelling against the idea.

Then, he sagged, energy abruptly gone. InuYasha flopped back down on the bed, burying his nose in the pillow and inhaling deeply. Would it be nothing more than he deserved if Kagome died? Or was it truly a cruel and unusual punishment?

InuYasha didn't have an answer. The questions plagued him until he managed to drop off into sleep, lured by the tantalizing mixture of Kagome's scent and his own.

* * *

><p><em>The maze of starched blue canvas stretched endlessly before him, dissolving into impossibly intricate twists and turns before melting into a featureless blue haze. InuYasha paid no heed to direction, choosing to just run through the narrow corridors, turning whenever a wall presented itself to him. As time went by, he became more and more lost, the walls stretching higher and higher until they dominated the sky, looming over him like circling vultures. InuYasha tried to use his nose to scent out an exit, only to find it useless. Upon brandishing his claws to try and tear his way through the weak fabric, he discovered blunt human fingernails tipping off his fingers. <em>

_'Dammit!' he cursed, staring at his human body with dismayed surprise. 'Why the hell am I human?' There was no answer, so the hanyou-turned-human moved on, cursing his frail body as he moved through the endless passages. _

_(This way.)_

_InuYasha paused, confused. The hanyou wasn't positive, but he was sure that when he'd been in this place before, there hadn't been a voice. Was it just another confusing figure of his imagination? InuYasha scowled and shook his head, pressing onwards._

_(This way!) The voice sounded more insistent this time, carrying a slight edge of irritation in it as it called to him. InuYasha stopped running, looking around him hesitantly. A left turn that he hadn't noticed before seemed to materialize out of thin air, its yawning maw tapering off into another haze. With a sigh of impatience, the hanyou started down this new corridor._

_Just as soon as blinking, the tunnel ended. It wasn't a dead end, but the finish that he had sought as long as he had had this dream. A gurney sat in the center of the small compartment, its bleached white sheets a stark contrast to the surrounding blue. The small figure of a girl lay upon the gurney, unburdened by the tubes and wires that clung to her in life. InuYasha rushed over to her, his heart pounding in his throat. _

_"Kagome!" he called, reaching out with his puny human hand and clasping her much smaller one, his calloused fingers feeling rougher upon touching her soft and delicate skin. Even in his dream she looked pathetic; pale, wan, thin and forlorn. This strange sickness that plagued her...what in the name of the seven hells could it be?_

_(Her condition is fault of no illness, hanyou.) _

_InuYasha's head whipped up, human ears straining though the 'voice' was not audible. Standing opposite him, her face impassive and her body regal, was a tall and proud-looking woman. She was dressed like a samurai from his time, except she wore a circlet about her brow instead of a helmet. Instead of eyes, two balls of light were positioned in her eye-sockets, shining like twin stars that had come down from the heavens. She looked at him, one brow raising at the astounded expression on his face. _

_(Come now, hanyou. Are we so unfamiliar to you?) she asked, her voice amused. Her lips never moved when she 'spoke,' reminding InuYasha of Kyūna-shi, except less hairy and drooling__. Apparently, they had met before. His mind struggled to remember where he had seen this woman, but nothing was..._

_'Hold on a sec,' he thought, brow furrowing. He __**had **__seen this woman before, but not like this. The woman InuYasha had seen had been long dead and shriveled, her mummified corpse barely visible amongst the larger corpse of the compounded youkai that had slain her. "Are you the miko who created the Shikon-no-Tama?" he asked, his voice slightly skeptical._

_Midoriko raised one eyebrow. (Long ago, yes. As we are now, though, you would be better off calling us 'the Shikon-no-Tama.')_

_InuYasha growled slightly, its threatening effect lessened by his human form. "Didn't Kagome destroy you?" he asked suspiciously. Midoriko laughed once without humor. _

_(She destroyed our corporeal form, yes. But just when we were about to cross over to our final repose, something held us back. We realized that we had left our job undone, and so, returned to see what went wrong.) Midoriko looked troubled at this, the lights that replaced her eyes dimming as the hint of a frown touched her lips. _

_"Yeah, you fuckin' took Kagome's soul as payment to heal me!" InuYasha snapped, baring his teeth at the long dead miko, wishing he had his fangs so he would look more threatening. Instantly, Midoriko's face went from troubled to insulted. Her eye-lights became as bright as two flares, temporarily blinding the hanyou with their brilliant intensity. _

_(Accuse us not, hanyou,) she snarled softly, her eyebrows pulling down into an angry 'V.' (It is no fault of ours that the miko is in this shape. The wish she made on us has nothing to do with her current state.)_

_"Then why IS she like this?" InuYasha roared, proffering one of Kagome's limp hands while pointing down to her face. Midoriko calmed slightly, her eye-lights dimming again. She glided-there was no other word for it-toward Kagome's gurney and touched the miko's face with the tips of her fingers. _

_(Well...it does have a little bit to do with the wish she made on us,) Midoriko amended, her face a little guilty. (We suggested that...it's hard to explain with words.) The miko abruptly turned away, her long black hair swirling behind her. (We are not used to talking.)_

_"Fuckin' hell, just try for Kami's sake!" InuYasha snapped, resisting the urge to go over and punch the woman (and serve her right, too). Midoriko turned back to InuYasha, her lips quirking in a slight smile._

_(Temperamental, aren't you, hanyou?) she asked, her voice amused. InuYasha snorted, unwilling to acknowledge the question with an answer. Midoriko shook her head, then continued, her voice hesitant, as if she were a young child searching for words to express herself with. _

_(The miko's previous incarnation...died in the final fight against the evil which possessed us. After meeting you in the borderland, she passed on to the Other World. When she did so, however, her soul became a weight tied to the miko's soul, threatening to drag it down with the fragment. Therefore, her soul has been fighting between staying alive and following the previous miko's fragment to the Other World. That battle stressed her physical body out to the point where it could no longer fight infection, and so fell grievously ill. As you no doubt saw, hanyou, her body rejected food, water and medicine, so torn was it by the battle inside of her.) As Midoriko spoke, InuYasha digested the information, a look of horror dawning on his face. _

_"So...is that...I mean...Kagome's illness..." InuYasha trailed off, unable to express his mortification. Midoriko understood, though, and nodded. "But then...why is she like this?" Again, he gestured to the prone miko before him. _

_(When she made the wish for you to heal, we told her about her soul. We then suggested that she stay behind in the borderland and learn how to let go of the piece that was tugging on the rest of her soul. Kikyou is, after all, an unessential part of Kagome. Once she learns to let go, they will both truly move on.) Midoriko turned back to InuYasha and Kagome, her eye-lights bright. (The reason she is like that is because her soul is currently not in her body. The people in her era call this a 'coma,' though they often don't have an explanation for it. Until she learns to let go of that part of her soul, she will remain in a 'coma.')_

_InuYasha thought about this for a while, his hand unconsciously tightening about Kagome's. Then, he looked up, meeting Midoriko's 'eyes.' "If Kagome is in this borderland right now...can I go to her?" he asked._

_(Not now. We cannot make the connection at this moment.) Before InuYasha could look disappointed, she added, (The time will come, hanyou, and it will come soon. Just wait.) The spirit of the Shikon-no-Tama looked to her side, looking at something only she could see. (It is time for you to wake, hanyou,) she commented._

_"But I-"_

_(Goodbye, hanyou. We will meet again, for the third time, for the last time. Until then.)_

* * *

><p>InuYasha woke with a start. He made a grab for his Tetsusaiga, which was lying in the divot his body had made on Kagome's bed. It took a few seconds for the hanyou to calm his racing pulse and remind himself that there were no enemies present. He sank back down onto the pink comforter, breathing heavily.<p>

_'What the hell was that dream all about?' _he thought, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his brow. _'And why...why do I get the feeling not all of it was a dream?'_

The hanyou shook his head and stood, stretching lethargically. Judging from what Kagome's doctor had said last time, today was going to be the same as yesterday...and the day before that...and the day before _that..._Not that InuYasha would ever stop watching over Kagome just because nothing was happening. He'd watch her until the end of time, if necessary. Didn't mean Kagome's unresponsiveness didn't depress him, though.

Breakfast was a short affair. Mama Higurashi and Souta hadn't returned yet, prompting InuYasha to ask Jii-chan where the hell they had gone. The old man considered for a few seconds before a rather comical look of dismay fell over his aged face.

"I can't recall. All this trouble with Kagome made me forget," he admitted. InuYasha would have laughed at Jii-chan's answer, if he hadn't felt guilty about bringing his only granddaughter home in a 'coma.'

The meal was finished quickly, then they were up and out the door, InuYasha jamming the hat over his head before leaving the house. The stench of Kagome's Tokyo was becoming less and less overwhelming the longer InuYasha stayed here, but it still managed to turn his stomach. The walk was monotonous, due to the fact that Jii-chan had forbidden InuYasha to run to the hospital, with promises of purifying ofuda if he disobeyed. InuYasha had scoffed at this, until he realized that Jii-chan just might have ofuda written by an ancestor somewhere in the bowels of the shrine...hence his slower than usual pace.

The hospital admitted them without much trouble. "Nothing's changed," the nurse said mournfully as she led them down the hall. It was the same message she had given them the previous times they'd been here, and yet it had the same depressing effect. Jii-chan sighed and InuYasha bit back a whine.

Sure enough, Kagome was still lying there, out for the count, the machines around her bleeping and burbling to themselves, muttering their electronic languages in a discordant tenor. InuYasha took the same battered chair he had used since he had first come to see Kagome in her metal gurney and sat down, reaching out and pressing his hand to the tube-encrusted appendage lying on the bleached white sheets. He heard Jii-chan sit down in the chair across from him, heard the creaking of his bones as he sank into the decrepit chair. The soft sound of the old man's sobs touched his ears, and InuYasha visualized the twin waterfalls of tears trailing down his wrinkled cheeks. The hanyou kept his eyes on Kagome's face, too ashamed to meet the old man's eyes.

Time passed slowly. InuYasha had no idea how much time he spent sitting by the chair-an hour? Two hours? Several years? The only thing he was sure of was that he had mumbled apologies under his breath during that time; apologizing to the Higurashi clan, to Kagome, to anyone who might forgive him for this terrible thing. At one point, Jii-chan heard his garbled entreaties and looked up from his granddaughter's face.

"It is not your fault, my boy," he sniffled, wiping his face with a kerchief he had removed from his haori. "You brought her home, after all."

"I should have known," InuYasha muttered back, ears flattening beneath his hat. "I should have known that-"

"That is not true!" Jii-chan snapped. The tone of his voice was so reminiscent of Kagome's anger that InuYasha immediately stiffened, panic flashing in his golden irises. "InuYasha," Jii-chan sighed, "you're only one person. Nobody who walks this Earth can do everything. Once in a while, failure is the only option. If you beat yourself up about it, though, you'll never get anything done. Kagome _will _get better, but only if you can stop feeling guilty." The old man sighed, then rose to his feet. "I think it's about lunchtime. Would you like to come get something to eat?" Upon seeing InuYasha's offended stare, Higurashi Takao laughed slightly and walked out, promising the hanyou that he would bring him something. Then, he was gone.

The inu-hanyou let out a soft sigh as the old man left the cubicle. The old man's words reminded him so much of the conversation he and Kagome'd had shortly after she'd lost the hearing in her ear. That memory made him feel miserable upon recollection. Were those promises they'd made to each other nothing more than sand in the wind, blown away when the roots holding them down were destroyed?

_'Will ya stop the fuckin' pessimism?' _InuYasha growled at himself, exposing a little fang as he glared at nothing in particular. _'It ain't gonna help Kagome.'_

Suddenly, out of the blue and completely unexpected, a wave of fatigue hit him like a battering ram. InuYasha blinked and shook his head, fighting down a yawn as his vision blurred. _'What the fuck?' _he wondered, his mind becoming more incoherent as time passed. It was like he'd been drugged or something, but the only thing he had eaten was his meager breakfast of ramen at the Higurashi household, and having prepared it himself, he knew it wasn't poisoned. So why...

(Sleep, hanyou. Sleep and everything will be better.)

There was a soft _thud _as the hanyou slid off the worn chair and hit the floor, fast asleep.

* * *

><p><em>(Hello, hanyou. We have been waiting for you.)<em>

_InuYasha looked around, pissed off beyond all belief. He was back in that damned grassy field, the one where he had spent so much time wandering around before. How had he forgotten such a tedious experience like that one? _

_"Why did you bring me here? I ain't dyin'," he growled rudely, not caring whether or not he pissed anyone off at this point. There was a soft whispering sound, then Midoriko appeared in front of him, her eyebrow raised. _

_(No, that is true. We did not bring you here so that you could die, hanyou. Think back to when we last visited you. What did we tell you, hanyou? What did we say?) Midoriko looked expectant as she waited for his answer, her arms slowly crossing over her armor clad chest. InuYasha frowned as he thought, wishing the miko would direct her eye-lights at something other than him. _

_"This is the borderland between this world and the next, right?" he asked, still sounding peeved. Midoriko nodded, though she still looked expectant. InuYasha thought a little bit more, trying to recall exactly what was said the night before. _

_(The miko, hanyou. Think about the miko,) Midoriko hinted with a slight sigh. _

_It hit InuYasha like a two-ton pile of rocks. Kagome. Kagome was here; or, at least, her soul was. His ears pricked up, twiddling about excitedly as his eyes darted to the left and right, as if Kagome would jump out from one of the shadows surrounding the starry field. "Kagome's here!" he yowled, leaping forward without thinking. Midoriko quickly sidestepped, sending InuYasha crashing into the ground. It didn't hurt, but it was rather embarrassing. _

_(Yes, hanyou. The miko is here. We think that if you talk to her, you could help her let go of that piece of soul. Then the wish she made upon us will be fulfilled, and we can finally pass on.) Midoriko smiled at the thought, her face shining like the sun. _

_"Where is she? Where's Kagome?" InuYasha asked, completely ignorant of what Midoriko had just said. The miko sighed, but her smile was still in place. _

_(She is at the River of Starlight, hanyou. Find it, and you will find her. Remember this, though: if you cross the River, you will pass on into the Other World and your body will die. We...are praying for your success, hanyou.) With that, Midoriko turned away and vanished. InuYasha snorted, then ran off, heading in no particular direction. _

_A blue glow appeared in the distance, a stark contrast to the dark sky and green field. InuYasha hastened toward it, his pulse pounding like a jackhammer. His feet were a red blur beneath his body, his mane a silver storm cloud about his head. One thing mattered right now, and one thing only. _

_InuYasha screeched to a halt when he reached the bank of the River. The River of Starlight lived up to its name; if ever stars could to melt and form a river, it would probably look like the sparkling bluish-white mass of liquid in front of him. Occasionally, he thought he felt something passing by him, but wrote it off as a product of his excitement. InuYasha looked around, heart throbbing in his throat, excited and reluctant at the same time. _

_The hanyou's breath stopped in his throat, his lower body going numb as his mind blanked. There, sitting on the edge of the bank, eyes fixed on the River, sat a familiar figure, one that he had missed with all his heart. Of course it was Kagome, dressed in her sailor-style school uniform (for some reason) gaze turned unmovingly upon the River, as if her eyes were held in place by a magnet. InuYasha just looked at her for a few seconds, his body as still as stone. Then, without thinking, without realizing, he was moving, bounding on all fours, her name rising in a yowl on his lips. "KAGOME!" _

_The girl started and turned around, eyes widening in surprise when she saw the silver and red blur speeding toward her. Kagome opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off when InuYasha slammed into her, bowling her over and sending the pair of them tumbling through the grass. Before she could even think, he had whipped her off the ground, whirling her around like she was a small child, then pulling her down toward him and covering every inch of her he could reach with nips and kisses, whimpering like a pup when Kagome finally recovered from her shock and nuzzled him back, even daring to put a nip or two of her own in. He cuddled her, nuzzled her, inhaled her scent and gloried in her presence. Even if it was a dream (or the borderland, or whatever) it still felt so damn good to see her. _

_"InuYasha, what are you doing here?" Kagome asked, pulling away from him so that she could look into his eyes. The hanyou could barely speak for relief at hearing her voice; it felt like a thousand years had passed since he had last heard Kagome say something. _

_"Saving your ass, baka," he replied, smirking slightly. Kagome giggled softly, then sighed. _

_"I don't know if you can help me with this," she said gravely. InuYasha's smirk turned into a scowl as he sat down, pulling the miko in his arms down with him. She settled in his lap, sighing gratefully as she rested her head on his shoulder. _

_"I can try," he retorted. Kagome didn't answer, choosing instead to nuzzle her face into his neck, like a kitten seeking its mother's warmth. The hanyou emitted a growl that sounded rather like a purr as he pulled her closer, nuzzling her hair and reveling in her scent. They sat like that for a while, wrapped so tightly together you could barely tell where one ended and the other began. The silence was companionable, rather than awkward, as the twosome huddled close together, glad to see each other again. _

_It didn't last for long, as a question that had been plaguing InuYasha chose that moment to rise from his throat. "Kagome...why did you wish on the Shikon-no-Tama?" he asked, his voice quiet. Kagome looked at him, her brow furrowing slightly. InuYasha scowled at the confused look on her face. "Seriously, baka, I was healing on my own! You didn't-"_

_"I did, InuYasha," Kagome said sadly. When InuYasha opened his mouth to protest, she cut him off, placing one hand over his mouth to silence him. "Listen to me, Inu. Your flesh was healing, but your spine wasn't. The damage your back took was so bad that...that..." Kagome couldn't say it. Even though it was all over and would most likely never happen again, the very idea of her hanyou, incapacitated and unable to walk, had a lump rising in her throat. InuYasha looked at her, understanding dawning on his face. _

_"Y'mean...I was __**never **__going to be able to walk again?" he asked, his voice incredulous. Kagome whimpered softly, but nodded. InuYasha pondered this for a few seconds, the faint outline of horror becoming more and more pronounced on his visage as he did so._

_"I couldn't let that happen to you," she whispered. "I couldn't let you stay an invalid. It would have destroyed you, InuYasha, I know it would've. I love you, and I couldn't let that happen. So I made the wish. I regret nothing." As she spoke, she reached up to touch the warm flesh of the hanyou's cheek, smiling slightly when he growled and pressed into her hand, ears twiddling madly atop his head. _

_"What about your coma-thing?" InuYasha asked when Kagome didn't speak. "Do you regret that?" _

_Kagome shook her head. "It was my choice. I chose to stay here and...well...wait a minute," her brow furrowed as a new thought dawned on her, "How did you get here? You didn't...you haven't..." Kagome looked at InuYasha, her eyes filling with horror. The hanyou snorted._

_"I didn't commit seppuku, if that's what you're thinking," he grunted, rolling his eyes at the shocked look on Kagome's face. "I don't really know __**how **__I got here, except that it had something to do with the Shikon-no-Tama."_

_Kagome nodded slowly, understanding dawning on her face. "You were worried about me, weren't you?" she mused, almost to herself._

_InuYasha exploded. "Wha-fuckin' hell, wench, of __**course **__I was worried about you! I'm __**still **__worried about you! You aren't waking up! I don't know what the fuck's happening to you, I can't help you, and it's __**pissing me off!**__"_

_Kagome jerked back, a little astounded at the hanyou's shouting, but quickly recovered, drawing closer to the irate young man. "I'm sorry," she told him, her voice grave, "but this is something I have to do. I have to learn how to let go of that piece of soul somehow." _

_InuYasha tilted his head at her, looking for all the world like a curious puppy. "Y'mean Kikyou's piece of soul?" he asked. Kagome nodded. _

_"I think she died during the fight with Naraku. When I talked to Midoriko, she told me that she 'passed on' shortly before you woke up, which is around the time I started getting really sick. She says that if I don't learn to let go of that part of my soul, I'll die. So I stayed here to try and figure out what to do. But I don't know how to let her go, InuYasha, and if I don't figure it out, I'll stay here forever...alone..." the miko shuddered at the thought, her arms wrapping around herself as if she were suddenly freezing. InuYasha drew her closer to him, wrapping his red-clad arms around her, offering her the comfort she needed. _

_How could he help her with this? he mused. InuYasha wasn't ashamed (well, maybe a little) to admit that when it came to matters of the soul, he was about as useful as an umbrella in a hurricane. A small pang of guilt throbbed in his heart as he rooted around for solutions and came up with nothing. If it hadn't been for him, after all, Kagome wouldn't be having this problem. If he hadn't said Kikyou's name back in Urasue's home..._

_"I'm sorry." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. Kagome looked at him, confused. "This is my fault," he explained. "If...if I hadn't said Kikyou's name back...back then..."_

_"No, it's okay," Kagome argued. "I knew at the time that...that you loved her, and...and I accepted it." Kagome's tone of voice suggested that the exact opposite was true, as did the wistfulness that fell over her face like a black shroud, making her look much older than she actually was. InuYasha growled again, this time from anger._

_"Will you stop going on like that? Yes, it was true that I __**used **__to love her, but...but that was a long time ago. Kikyou died fifty years ago, and whatever we had died with her." Warming to his topic, the hanyou lifted one hand and let it curl about her cheek, the clawed tip of his thumb brushing gently over her lips. "It...it was hard," he admitted, ears drooping slightly. "Realizing that what we had was gone. I...I was prepared to die for her, if that meant that I would pay her back for her death. But...I..." InuYasha cast around for words, obviously unused for talking for so long. "...after traveling with you for a while...I...started wondering...what would happen if I died? What would happen to you, I mean," he clarified, feeling awkward heat stealing across his cheeks with the force of his embarrassment. Kagome leaned forward, placing both of her hands on his cheeks as she gazed into his eyes. _

_"I would have died without you," Kagome told him. "I don't want to live in a world where you're gone. I __**can't.**__"_

_InuYasha nodded slightly, fighting back a whine at the thought of her death. "I didn't want that to happen, K'gome," he mumbled, blushing even more furiously. "I decided that maybe I could repent by protecting you...but...but I..." His face was so red by now his haori looked gray in comparison, making Kagome have to fight down a bout of laughter as she beheld him. But he continued on, and she was able to swallow her giggles down without any ill effects. "...I fe-fell in love with you," he muttered. Even though he had already admitted this to her, it was still one of the hardest things he'd ever said. How long had he watched her, yearned for her, told himself that she could never be his? InuYasha wasn't sure, but he knew it had been a long time. Too long, in fact. So long that the thought that they were together now still floored him. "I didn't want to admit it-cause I'm fuckin' baka-" _

_"InuYasha!" Kagome complained, her brow furrowing angrily. "Don't-"_

_"It's true!" he snapped back. "I should've realized what those feelings meant before all this shit started happening! Maybe if I had, none of this would have happened!"_

_"If you're going to say that," Kagome retorted, brown eyes flashing with ire,"Then I'm as much to blame as you! I knew I loved you, too, but I kept it hidden! I thought you didn't want me, and I didn't want to ruin our friendship!"_

_"You're not to blame for anything!" InuYasha snarled. "You're not to blame for anything," he repeated, his voice losing most of the heat as he did so. "It's all my fault." The last word broke on a whimper as he buried his face in her shoulder. _

_"No it's not," Kagome crooned, reaching up to stroke his silver mane of hair. "You've tried so hard, InuYasha. No-one can blame you for that." She thought for a few seconds before adding, "I still love you. I will always love you, for now and for always." _

_InuYasha lifed his face from her shoulder, fixing her with a piercing golden gaze. "Yeah?" he asked, his voice a little more composed. Kagome nodded, her lips curving into a brilliant smile, the one that always made his brain turn into porridge. "I...I love you, too," he mumbled back, blushing again. "I don't want you to be unconscious anymore. Can you hurry up and find this fuckin' solution or whatever?"_

_Kagome giggled. "It's not like finding shikon-no-kakera. I can't just look around and find the answer."_

_InuYasha snorted at Kagome's answer. "Not like the shards were easy to find in the first place." Kagome laughed again, the bright sounds echoing around the field and vanishing over the sparkling waters of the River. InuYasha cocked his head at her, studying her happy face with intense golden eyes. She noticed this and gradually stopped laughing, her eyes meeting his as her smile slowly slipped, replaced by a slightly dazed look. Then, he reached for her, so quickly that she couldn't even register the sudden change from sitting alone to sitting in his lap once more. One of his claws hands tangled in her black hair, the other wrapping about her waist as he tugged, pulled her up toward him, leaning down to seize her lips with his own. _

_Dream or no dream, this was what InuYasha had missed the most, had yearned for the most, had craved the most: his miko's soft, tiny form, sheltered against him while her lips and his locked together, pulling and nipping playfully, only to return and deepen. Judging from the way she had responded to him, she had missed it, too. Kagome's hands buried themselves in his thick mane, stroking the long silver strands with the utmost care, like they would shatter if she weren't too careful. He growled and pulled her closer still, fangs nipping at her lips as he positioned her on his lap. How perfect she was; dainty, yet powerful, sweet, yet fierce, beautiful, and yet loving. And she had chosen him. It still astounded him, and probably would continue to astound him for the rest of his life. _

_Without warning, a black darkness descended on the pair of them, wiping out everything: the River, the field, the stars, and each other. InuYasha yowled angrily, hearing Kagome's shrill cry of horror before he was gone. The last thing he registered before the blackness claimed him completely were three soundless words spoken by a voice that wasn't a voice._

_(It is done.)_

* * *

><p>With a low groan, InuYasha slowly came to. His cheek was plastered to the cold tile floor of the hospital's NICU ward, along with the rest of his body. He jerked up, looking about him with suspicious and embarrassed eyes. When his frantic circumspection revealed nobody and nothing unusual, he pushed himself to his feet, shaking his head slightly.<p>

What had happened? Why had he collapsed like that? InuYasha hadn't eaten anything unusual-in fact, he hadn't really eaten anything at all these past few days. He wracked his brain, wondering what in the name of all the Kami in the heavens could have made him pass out like that.

No matter how hard he tried, however, he came up with nothing. It was like he had gotten drunk and was trying to recall a night of hard partying. But that was obviously not the problem, so what-

A faint moan from the direction of the gurney made InuYasha whip around, his eyes going to Kagome's pale face. Her eyes were flickering, her lips quivering beneath the clear plastic mask. Then, trembling like the newly fledged wings of a butterfly, her eyelids opened, revealing tired and confused brown irises. She looked around with some confusion, her head moving slowly as she tried to stretch. "Huh?" she croaked, her voice thick and rough with disuse. "What's...what's going on?"

InuYasha's heart leaped into his throat as his eyes widened with joyous surprise. He darted forward and seized Kagome's free hand with both of his, careful to keep his claws away from the various tubes and wires. "Kagome? Are you awake?" he asked, heart thudding a thousand miles a minute. _'Please please PLEASE don't let this be a dream,' _he pleaded. _'Please don't let it be a dream.' _

Kagome nodded, though she still looked confused. "I...think so. Why am I back here?"

InuYasha shook his head, pulling her hand closer to his body, smiling weakly when her fingers curved around his hand. "Don't matter anymore," he told her thickly, "You're awake now."

The miko smiled at him, her eyes sparkling brightly, though they were still tired. "It's nice to see you, InuYasha."

The hanyou snorted. _'Big understatement,' _he thought.

"It's nice to see you too, Kagome," he told her, leaning down to nuzzle her cheek. "It's nice to see you, too."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Just wanted to remind all you peeps out there-it is okay to ask any questions you may have about the fanfic. I will not get mad if there's something you don't get. And constructive criticism is always welcome!_

_P.S. NICU-Neurotrama Intensive Care Unit_


	46. Everything Will Be All Right

The doctors, though surprised by Kagome's unexpected recovery, were happy to declare that the young woman was suffering no ill effects from the unexplained coma. However, due to hospital protocol, Kagome was to stay under observation for twenty four hours, just to make sure nothing was going to happen. InuYasha nearly threw a fit when he got the news, but was quelled by a glare from Kagome.

"Why do you have to stay here?" he complained some time later. Kagome was lying in her hospital bed, reading a book that her Jii-chan had brought her, but paying more attention to the hanyou sitting on the foot of her bed than to the characters written on the page. She looked up, fighting back a smile as she beheld her hanyou.

"They have to make absolutely sure nothing's wrong with me," Kagome reminded him. "And it's only one day, anyway. That's not so long, is it?" InuYasha snorted and mumbled under his breath, hands tucked away beneath his sleeves as a faint pink glow crested the bridge of his nose.

At that moment, the door to Kagome's room flew open, revealing the sweaty and panting form of Mama Higurashi. Both Kagome and InuYasha started and recoiled in shock, gaping at the older woman with dumbstruck looks on their faces. It was clear that they had not been expecting her at all.

"Kagome!" she cried, hurrying over and dropping down beside the bed, her soft brown eyes filled with worry. "I came back to Tokyo as soon as I heard the news! How are you? Are you all right? What happened?" Each question came so fast that Kagome had no time to answer any of them. She raised her hands as if to ward off a youkai, looking over at InuYasha, seeking assistance. He gave her a 'what the hell do you expect me to do' look, to which she sighed and folded her hands in her lap, fixing her mother with what she fervently hoped was a calm smile.

"I'm perfectly fine, Mama," she told her. "I just got a little sick, that's all." InuYasha fought down a snort of incredulity at the mention of 'a little sick.' Mrs. Higurashi shot him a concerned look that was quickly redirected at her daughter. Kagome reached out, grasping her mother's hand as she smiled reassuringly. "But," she interjected, changing the subject, "We managed to win the fight against Naraku, Mama."

Mama Higurashi looked surprised, then delighted. "Then...the danger's over? You won't get hurt again?"

Kagome carefully considered her answer before saying, "Well, I wouldn't say _that, _but...most of the danger should be gone now." Mama Higurashi seemed satisfied by the answer.

"As long as you're okay, that's all right, dear," she told her, rising from the bed. "While I'm here, can I get you anything?"

Kagome sighed and leaned back against the pillows lining the wall behind her. "A free pass out of here?" she asked. InuYasha snorted again. Mrs. Higurashi smiled, her eyes sparkling. "...I could use something to eat," she amended, making a slight face as the words left her mouth. Mama Higurashi nodded and, without further ado, left to go hunt down some food. The moment the door shut behind her, InuYasha moved closer to Kagome, lifting the black baseball cap covering his ears so that he could scratch an itch underneath it.

"Now I know where you get your forgiving nature," he stated matter-of-factly. When Kagome fixed him with a confused look, InuYasha elaborated with, "Your mother forgave me way too damn easily."

Kagome's eyes narrowed as her eyes became annoyed. "How many times do we have to go over this, InuYasha?" she all but growled. "_This is not your fault!_"

The hanyou glared back at her, exposing a little fang as he snapped, "Yeah? In what way is it not my fault?"

"Because it was _my_ choice!" Kagome shouted back. "_I _chose to do this, not you!"

"Only because I was weak enough to get stabbed in the fuckin' back!" he roared, fangs flashing in the fluorescent lights. Kagome imagined that his ears would be lying flat on his head beneath the black hat he was wearing. Even though she was irritated beyond belief, the miko couldn't help appreciating the hanyou's rather fetching looks.

"You're not weak!" she bellowed, rising up off the pillows with lightning crackling in her brown eyes. InuYasha flinched, but held his ground, letting a little more fang show, as if that would scare her off. He should have known better. "How could you think of yourself as weak?" she demanded. "You're the strongest person I know!"

InuYasha blushed at the compliment, but still looked upset. "I _still _should have run away when you told me to. It was _stupid _of me to stay."

"No!" Kagome argued, even though she privately agreed. InuYasha snorted, his nose able to discern the truth. "Really, I thought it was brave..."

"And stupid," he finished for her. A sound rather like a low snarl left Kagome's throat, soft and dangerous. InuYasha winced and started to back away, intent on preserving himself while he still had the chance. Before he could get away, Kagome lunged, snatching both of his silver forelocks with her hands and pulling him forward. InuYasha yelped as a few long silver hairs were pulled out by the root, giving Kagome a hurt look as he did so. The furious fire crackling in the miko's brown eyes quelled any complaint he might have had, silencing him quite effectively.

"Enough!" Kagome growled, looking and sounding like an irate inu-bitch, "I won't let you put yourself down anymore!" She pulled him closer, her face and manner becoming gentler, softer. A soft whine escaped the hanyou's mouth before he could stop it as her hands released his forelocks and went to either side of his face, stroking his cheeks like he was the most precious thing in the universe. "You've done so much for me," she told him, her brown eyes locked with his golden ones. "Sacrificed so much. How can I not forgive you, knowing just how hard you try?"

InuYasha had no answer. Why was it, when it came to this small woman lying on the hospital bed, that he had a hard time forming coherent sentences around her? Anyway, what _could _he say in response to her all-too innocent question? _'She always thinks way too fuckin' highly of me,' _he thought, a small scowl twisting his face. Kagome noticed and frowned.

"InuYasha, look at me," she ordered. When he did, she shifted again, bringing her face closer to his again. She laughed softly when she saw him swallow, the skin of his throat pulsing with the motion. With a deft motion of her hand, she flicked the black hat of his head, exposing his dog ears for all to see. They flicked around, obviously glad to be free of the oppressive hat. Kagome giggled again, reaching up to take one of his ears in her hand. The hanyou let out a sound that was much like a purr as he leaned into her hand, pushing his fuzzy ear into her palm. "I still love you, you know. Nothing will ever change that," she informed him, scratching the base of his ear with her nails, careful not to be too rough on the delicate appendage.

"Hmm?" he slurred, not paying attention to the words coming out of her mouth, so fixated was he on her ear-rub. Kagome laughed again, harder this time, tears pricking the corners of her eyes as she took in the blissfully unaware look on InuYasha's face. She loved making him happy and treasured each and every one of his rare and often hesitant smiles. The look on his face at that moment was one she knew would stay with her for all time. Without thinking, she moved forward, closing the infinitesimal distance between them as she planted a kiss on his lips, her eyes closing at the same moment that his flew open, shock crossing his golden irises. Then he returned the kiss eagerly, his arms coming up to wrap around her small body, while hers moved down to tangle in his silver mane.

The door opened at that moment, revealing the white robed figure of Kagome's doctor. Behind him stood Mama Higurashi, who was holding a cup of soup she had purchased from the hospital's cafeteria. The couple on the bed broke apart and tried their best to look innocent while sporting flushed faces. The doctor chuckled softly as he approached Kagome.

"I see you're feeling better," he joked, leaning down to take Kagome's pulse. Kagome's blush went darker as her eyes flicked over to her mother. Mrs. Higurashi was smiling softly, her eyes sparkling as she sat down beside InuYasha, who looked like he was trying to blend into the wall. "How's your head?" the doctor asked, jerking her attention away from her mother and InuYasha.

"S'fine," she mumbled. The doctor nodded, but he still looked into both of her eyes with a small flashlight, asked her a few questions, and even checked her ears. Then, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"You were brought in for ear surgery a few weeks ago, right?" he asked, looking at her right ear with growing astonishment. Kagome nodded, still feeling embarrassed. "Were the bones removed?" he pressed, reaching for his little flashlight again. Kagome nodded again. The doctor shined the flashlight at her ear, his eyebrows disappearing into his black hair as he did so. "Then...then why does your ear look normal? Did you visit a specialist?"

Kagome blinked, shaken out of her embarrassed reverie. "What?" she blurted dumbly. "What are you talking about?"

As a way of response, the doctor snapped his fingers right next to Kagome's right ear. The miko winced at the sharp sounds. "See? It's like your ear was never injured," he told her. "It's quite remarkable. Did you visit an audiologist?"

"Uh..." Kagome wished she knew what an audiologist was so she could answer the question. She looked over at her mother again, a plea for help visible in her eyes. Mama Higurashi nodded slightly, while InuYasha got up and moved to the side of the bed opposite the one where the doctor was standing. Kagome reached for his hand, and he took it, letting his claws scrape gently over Kagome's skin. "Yes," she finally replied. "Don't remember which one, though," she added, just in case the doctor started asking more questions. The doctor seemed satisfied by her answer, though, and left it at that.

"Well, I think we can let you go home now, Higurashi-san," he informed her. Kagome brightened considerably at this, as did InuYasha.

"I can go home?" she asked. The doctor nodded, a smile creasing his face. Kagome proceeded to leap out of the bed, and nearly fell over since her legs weren't used to carrying her weight just yet. Luckily, InuYasha caught her and held her up, rolling his eyes at Kagome's antics.

"Yes. I'll send someone to retrieve your clothes," he said, then the doctor was gone, off to check one of his other patients.

The rest of the time they spent at the hospital passed in a flash after that, as Kagome changed back into her clothes, then gulped down the soup her mother had gotten for her while she and the doctor sorted out some of the paperwork. InuYasha sat with her, barely holding back the strong urge to laugh as Kagome stuffed noodles in her mouth. And she said _he _had bad manners...

Then the paperwork was finished and they were leaving the hospital. Kagome was still a little too weak to walk, so InuYasha carried her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders, the other tucked beneath her knees. Kagome seemed quite pleased by this, as she was making happy little sounds every now and again while nuzzling her hanyou's shoulder, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. This, in turn, pleased InuYasha, who looked like he could conquer the world with both hands tied behind his back. Mama Higurashi didn't bother to hide her own contented smile as she led the way back home.

Karu had been quite worried when Takao, her father-in-law, had told her that Kagome was in the hospital. For a few wild hours she had wondered if something had happened and Kagome was teetering on the brink of death. Worried as only a mother could be, she had hopped on the first bus of the day and headed over to the hospital, her thoughts consumed with fear for her only daughter. Takao had agreed to stay behind to take care of Souta, and away she had gone.

The relief she felt when she saw Kagome, upright and smiling, was paramount. She was glad to see InuYasha, too. Other mothers might have been upset, or even enraged, but Karu understood that InuYasha never intentionally led her daughter into danger. He would be feeling bad enough without her adding to his agitation. Not only that, but Takao had informed her (when she had calmed down enough to ask) that InuYasha had been at Kagome's bedside every day for as long as he was allowed, with only the threat of being dragged out and potentially exposed to make him obey the rules, and even _that _was almost not enough. The devotion the hanyou showed to her daughter was more than enough to make her forgive him.

They arrived back at the Higurashi shrine sometime around seven. The sun was already sinking to the horizon, burning low in the fiery sky. Mama Higurashi led the way up the stairs, aware that the restless hanyou behind her was leaping up the stairs, clearing two at a time as he made his swift way up to the shrine's courtyard. The older woman let him take the lead, restraining the urge to giggle when she caught sight of the hanyou soaring over her head, Kagome wrapped securely around him as he leaped. He touched down for a split second, his knees bending as his feet hit the flagstones, then he was in the air again. The hanyou's mane caught the light of the setting sun, temporarily blinding Mrs. Higurashi. When she cleared her eyes, InuYasha was gone, presumably heading toward the house.

InuYasha swept through the shrine's grounds, not stopping until he was perched on the edge of Kagome's windowsill. For a few seconds, he wondered how he was going to open the window when Kagome was currently occupying his arms, but the miko took care of it for him. Wiggling about to enable her reach, Kagome stretched out and managed to slide the window open. As soon as the glass was out of the way, InuYasha lighted down in the middle of Kagome's room. He set Kagome upon the bed before he crouched down, his hands curling into fists between his bent knees, making him look more like a dog than ever. As he looked upon Kagome, he cocked his head, enhancing the effect.

"What is it?" Kagome giggled, blushing slightly as she turned away from the hanyou's inquisitive stare.

"You feeling all right?" InuYasha asked, ears twiddling slightly despite the serious look on his face. Kagome giggled again.

"I'm fine, InuYasha. Honest." Her brow puckered in thought as she thought about it for a few seconds. "Well, I _am _a little surprised," she amended. "I mean, I wasn't expecting to get my hearing back. How do you think _that _happened?"

InuYasha straightened, his hands moving to hide within his sleeves as he looked at Kagome with unfathomable golden eyes. "When you wished on the Shikon-no-Tama, Kagome...what did you wish for?" The question was soft. It sounded strange coming from a gruff inu-hanyou who usually shouted profanities at the top of his lungs.

Kagome slid off the bed, moving to sit beside the hanyou. He looked at her, his eyes burning with curiosity, offsetting the mask his eyes had been hidden behind when the question had fallen from his lips. She pressed her face into his shoulder in a vain effort to hide her red cheeks from that piercing golden gaze.

"I asked it to heal you. I wanted you to get better, InuYasha." Kagome sniffled, blinking back tears as her hand came up to clutch InuYasha's sleeve. "I didn't like watching you suffer. It hurt me _so _much..." She trailed off as a lump of emotion rose to choke off her throat. InuYasha turned to look at her, ears drooping a little bit when he caught the scent of sadness rising up from her body.

"So _that's _why it healed you, too," he mused. Kagome looked up, her face becoming puzzled. He leaned forward to nudge her cheek with his nose, a small growl rumbling in his throat. "Um...I think it had something to do with my heart, or some shit like that," he explained, frowning a little as his mind tried to cast around for the correct words. Kagome seemed to get it, though.

"You mean that the Shikon-no-Tama tried to heal your heart as well as your body?" she asked. InuYasha nodded. Kagome thought about it for a few seconds, then nodded as well. "That makes sense." Surprisingly, she giggled and pressed a kiss to the exposed flesh of his neck, her giggles escalating when she felt the heat of his resulting blush. "You _do _love me, don't you?"

"Course I do, K'gome," he mumbled, his face turning a rather lovely shade of red. "I...I hated it, too. You were sick because of me, and I could do nothing to help you. It...it was _killing _me, Kagome...watching you suffer like that." InuYasha's voice choked on the last word as the memories washed back over him: Kagome, her eyes gummed together with yellow goo, her voice thickened with mucus, her small body wracked with coughs and burning with fever. He remembered the way the helpless rage had burned through his body as he watched her suffer, remembered how his endeavors to climb to his feet had come to nothing, and, worst of all, remembered how she had started to fade away, like a rock dissolving slowly into a stream.

"InuYasha?" Kagome's inquisitive voice broke into his reverie. InuYasha came back to Earth with a small thud, starting as he looked at his miko. She was looking at him concernedly, obviously worried by the vacant look that had been on his face. "Are you okay?" she asked.

InuYasha looked away, directing his gaze out the window. "Yeah," he replied, his voice strangely rough, "Just...just thinking about...about..."

Realization crossed Kagome's face. "Back in the hut?" she asked. InuYasha nodded, relieved that she understood. Kagome looked at him for a few seconds before she clambered into his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck as she nuzzled his cheek. "It's okay," she murmured. "It's over now. You're all right, and I'm all right. The Shikon-no-Tama's gone, _and _Naraku's dead. All in all, we should be celebrating right now, not feeling sorry for ourselves."

A slow smile spread over the hanyou's face, eclipsing the worry with its simple beauty. "Celebrating, huh?" he asked, one eyebrow raising. Kagome nodded, her eyes sparkling with suppressed mirth. "Celebrating _how?_" he asked.

"Any way you want," Kagome replied. Then, when she realized the double meaning behind the words, she went bright red, clapping her hands over her cheeks as if she could hide the blush behind her fingers. InuYasha couldn't help but laugh at the look on Kagome's face. His smile lit up the room as his laughter bounced off the walls. The blush on Kagome's face dissipated, the red slowly leeching away as her eyes glittered. "You're laughing," she stated, her voice amazed. InuYasha stopped laughing to look incredulously at her.

"Obviously. Unobservant wench," he said, unable to hold back his snicker. Kagome reached out to touch his cheek, her fingers moving slowly over his skin.

"It's just...I've never heard you laugh before, InuYasha," she told him. "It's...kinda surprising."

They were silent for a few seconds after that. Then, he moved forward and kissed her, cutting off the squeak of surprise that rose in her throat as he did so. It didn't take long for the surprise to wear off, though, so she soon returned the kiss with eager fervor. The soft growl in the hanyou's throat deepened, sending tingles all over his miko's body. Her arms went about his neck, his wound about her waist, one hand snaking up to tangle in her black tresses. His fangs nipped gently at her bottom lip while her teeth played with his upper lip.

Gently, without breaking the kiss, InuYasha lifted Kagome up, holding her as if she were the most precious thing in the universe. He moved over to the pink bed and set Kagome down on the soft comforter shortly before he settled over her, moving over her until her small body was lost beneath his. He pressed against her, nuzzling and whimpering gently, enjoying her little squeaks and sighs as much as the actual kissing experience.

"Missed you," she mumbled in between kisses.

"Missed ya too," he replied. Then he was kissing her again, nuzzling her neck, nipping her collarbone, pushing his face into the valley between her breasts. She gave a yelp of surprise, but did not push him away, encouraging him further.

"Is this all right?" he asked (just in case).

She smiled at him, her hands reaching up to grab his ears. "Yes. It's perfectly all right, Inu. Everything's all right."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Happy Thanksgiving, y'all! Hope you enjoy the cliffhanger. (I'm so evil...)_


	47. Cleansing

"Yes. It's perfectly all right, Inu. _Everything's _all right."

The hanyou smirked at her before returning to kissing her senseless. She submitted with more ease than usual, letting him take the lead in this. Kagome could practically _feel _the emotions running off InuYasha's body: the emotions that he usually tried so hard to contain within himself were now running rampant. He needed this as much as she did, needed to wash away the memories that still haunted them once and for all.

Neither of them were aware of precisely when the touches started to intrude on forbidden places, the kisses growing longer and more intense as the caresses started meaning something more. Time meant nothing to them, nothing at all. The meaningless ticks of the clock soon died away, eclipsed by the rapid momentum of progressing intimacy. At that moment, nothing was more important to them than each other.

If there had been room for coherent thought in the miko's mind, she probably would have started wondering about the ramifications of what they were about to do. As it was, however, her mind was awash with the image of her hanyou, meaning there was no possible way she could think about anything else. The only thing that mattered was him; pleasuring him, soothing him, immersing herself completely in him. He was the eye of the storm, the oasis in the desert, the light in the darkness. He was everything to her; how had it taken her so long to realize it?

Slowly, tenderly, Kagome dragged her lips across InuYasha's, savoring the feel of his fangs against her mouth. Those symbols of his youkai heritage, so frightening to many other humans, held no fear for her. Everything that made him a hanyou was something that endeared him to her; she wouldn't have him any other way. InuYasha was perfect the way he was-a hanyou. She loved him and wanted him, and that was enough.

A purring growl rose in InuYasha's throat as he let Kagome take charge, let her become the dominant one as he rolled over so that his back was cushioned against the pink comforter. Blood was rushing in his ears, pounding in his throat and thrumming through his veins. Never before had he felt this excited, yet so tense and twitchy. Never before had he submitted rather than fought on. Never before had he felt such strong emotions course through his body. It was a novel experience for the hanyou, and one he had every intention of seeing through to the end.

Meanwhile, the miko astride his chest was becoming bolder. Her hands were tracing circles on his chest, her fingers darting into the folds of his haori, gradually loosening it with playful gestures. Then, with one deft movement, Kagome ripped open both the hanyou's haori and kosode, baring his chest in an instant. InuYasha yelped in surprise, but was quickly pacified when his miko let her lips roam around the flesh of his throat, toying with his collarbone as they moved toward his pectorals.

"Wench," he growled (though it sounded more like a whine), "Are you trying to kill me?"

"Nuh-uh." The vibrations caused by her voice drove a low whine out of InuYasha's throat before he could call it back. He forced himself to focus as she continued talking. "Not what I'm going for." Before he could ask what she _was _going for, she had clambered back up and kissed him, her lips pressing tightly against his own. Her hands continued their intricate dance over his chest, sending tingles up and down his spine and driving him crazy with emotions he couldn't comprehend.

Finally, after several minutes of standing idle, the hanyou could take no more. With a tremendous snarl, he surged upwards, nearly sending the miko flying because of the sudden violent motion. Before Kagome could even blink, he had jerked his head forward, seizing the collar of her shirt with his teeth. There was a thunderous _RIP _as he tore the strip holding the buttons clear off her blouse, rendering it useless. The unfastened material hung limply on Kagome's shoulders, barely managing to cling onto her body. Kagome herself looked rather dazed, staring at InuYasha as he spat the strip of buttons out of his mouth, a devious smirk rising on his lips.

"You didn't have to do that," she protested feebly, even as he reached out and seized her upper arms, turning her so that he was dominant again. He smirked at her weak complaint.

"It was in the way," he said simply, leaning down to nuzzle the exposed base of her throat. "Now we're even," he added as an afterthought. Whatever answer she might have thought up was washed away in the next surge of emotion as he resumed the teasing dance she had started, this time with their roles reversed. Her body reverberated with soft whimpers as she squirmed beneath him, trying to escape his torturing hands while also desiring more attention. At least he'd left her bra on, or else things could _really _get out of control.

A second, lesser _rip _intruded on Kagome's train of thought. Apparently, InuYasha's line of thinking had been on the same rail, but moving slightly faster, which was unfortunate for the lacy garment concealing her breasts. The ruined lingerie now dangled from his fangs, the middle having been torn so that he could remove it.

"Will you stop that?" she hissed, more excited than angry. He tilted his head, looking like a puppy who knew he had done something naughty, but enjoyed it all the more _because _it was naughty. "Do you know what those cost?"

InuYasha spat the garment out and grinned, fangs glistening in the half-light of the room. "No," he replied honestly. "Don't really care, either." The conversation ended when he came back down upon her, the bare flesh of his chest meeting hers with astounding results. Sure, Kagome had seen InuYasha without his double layer of shirts, had even touched him while bandaging the many wounds he got during battle, but to touch him like _this? _She had never imagined that the simple act of touching would feel so wonderful.

The next few minutes were much the same as that moment: too wonderful for her to describe. She felt the cool air kiss her heated skin as the last of her clothes were removed, felt the demanding tug of her hanyou's lips on hers, felt a jolt when she realized that his skin was completely bare as well.

Then there came a new sensation; a feeling so new, so overpoweringly intense that it made Kagome cry out, yelping as an unfamiliar pain gripped her. She sensed, rather than heard, InuYasha's voice, murmuring something that she supposed was comforting, though she couldn't catch the exact words. Kagome was comforted all the same, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth against the pain, reaching out and clinging to the hanyou's shoulders. InuYasha nuzzled and kissed her, trying to ease her pain in any way he could while reining in the urge to dominate, to move and conquer.

It was a little tough, but eventually she managed to shake off the feeling of pain. Then, oh _then _it started to feel absolutely monumental. The emotions coursing through her body were like a roller-coaster, changing so rapidly it left her breathless. Her cries mingled with his panting whines as they moved together, kissing fiercely whenever they had breath to do so.

In all the time Kagome had known what love was like, she _never _knew it could be like this. To be so close to this hanyou-no, this _man-_wrapped in an embrace so tight that she felt more like they were one person rather than two. Every motion he made was a motion echoed by her, and every motion she made was echoed by him. He slid against her, whimpering softly as he nipped at her earlobe, his entire body shaking like a leaf. She comforted him as he comforted her.

A whimper rose in her throat, choked off by a high pitched cry as she approached the inevitable peak. She clung even tighter to her hanyou and heard his whimpers becoming louder, transforming into short little yelps. His claws were digging into her back; a little unpleasant, perhaps, but she could ignore such trifles. Before she knew it, the long fall was upon her, showing itself in the form of mind-blowing pleasure that bordered on pain. She let out a howl like a banshee, her small form writhing beneath his. Seconds later, his yelps became a full-on yowl, his fangs flashing in the light coming in through the window.

If ever there could be Nirvana on Earth, the twosome had just touched it.

* * *

><p>Forty-five minutes later, the couple lay twined together in Kagome's pink bed, surrounded by mussed sheets and rumpled covers. Their clothes were strewn all over the floor, one or two articles managing to land on the frilly office chair sitting in the middle of the room. Dim evening light filted in through the window, muted further by the curtains hanging in front of the glass. The room was silent save for the sound of heavy breathing as they slowly drifted back to Earth.<p>

"Kami," Kagome finally managed to whisper. Her head was pillowed on InuYasha's chest, her ear resting against his flesh. His wild heartbeat was slowly winding down into a more steady pattern. "I mean...just..._wow._"

InuYasha snorted weakly. "S'that all you got ta say?"

Kagome moved her head to look at him, her tired brown eyes sparkling. "Do you have something to say, then?"

InuYasha's mouth worked for a few seconds, ears twiddling atop his head as he looked at her. Then, he gave a "Feh!" and looked away, but not before Kagome caught sight of the small smirk spreading over his face. Kagome laughed weakly and let her head fall back against his chest. He looked back just in time to see her eyelids flutter gently shut. He lifted one hand from where it rested on the bed and let it rest on her head. "You all right?" he asked, his voice gentle.

"Mmm...tired," she purred back, rearing up to push her head beneath his chin. He chuckled and moved his chin down, capturing the crown of her head with it. She made a sound like a happy coo and snuggled closer to him, her hands tracing the muscles in his arms. He smiled then, moving to nudge her cheek with his nose.

"Y'know what this means, right?" he asked. Kagome made a sleepy little sound in her throat as she shifted around, moving so that her face was buried in his shoulder. He let his eyes drift shut as well, settling back on the soft mattress with her wrapped around his body. "We're together forever now, aite. That's what it means."

With that, the hanyou drifted off to sleep, content to lie with the miko in his arms, the love and peace he had always felt with her lulling him into a slumber the likes of which he had not had in a long time. For once in his long life, InuYasha was not only safe, but happy.

* * *

><p>"Kagome! InuYasha-kun! Dinner!"<p>

Mama Higurashi frowned as she looked up into the murky darkness cloaking the top of the staircase. Normally, when she announced the arrival of food, there would be a thunderous noise of incoming feet as InuYasha tore his way toward the stairs, followed by a slightly exasperated Kagome. However, no-one was coming. Mama Higurashi shrugged and began walking back toward the kitchen. Maybe they were just a little slower tonight. After all, Kagome _had _just come home after spending a few days in the hospital, and the couple probably needed some time to catch up.

Karu's mouth lifted up into a small smile as she approached the table where Jii-chan and Souta were sitting. It did a mother's heart good to see her daughter so happy in the arms of the man she loved. Also, she was glad that InuYasha seemed to be doing better, too. When she thought about it, the hanyou had suffered just as much as Kagome had. The end of suffering always felt good, Mama Higurashi reflected. That eventual finish and the start of something better always had a way of eclipsing present life.

"Karu?" Jii-chan's raspy voice broke into her reverie. With a slight start, she looked down at the seated form of her father-in-law. Takao's wrinkled face was further creased in disapproval, his brows pulled into a tight 'v' over his aged eyes. He had a bone to pick with her, and Karu thought she had a vague idea as to what it was.

"Yes, Father?" she asked, her voice innocent. The old man snorted, his brows pulling further down.

"What is my granddaughter doing up there?" he asked, his voice suspicious. Souta looked from his grandfather to his mother, his face curious. Karu looked at her young son, then slowly turned her eyes back to Takao.

"It's not really our business what they do, is it, Father?" The question was polite, but there was no denying the authority underlying each and every word, clearly shouting _it's none of your business, so butt out. _If Takao got the message, he decided not to adhere to it.

"Kagome is still a child!" he protested, one withered fist slamming into the table and making the clay cups jump, "She doesn't need to do anything of-of _that _nature!"

"Of _what _nature?" Souta asked curiously. A faint pink blush rose on Mama Higurashi's cheeks as she turned back to her son.

"Nothing, Souta." Then, she returned to her father-in-law. "Father, I really don't think we should be talking about this in front of Souta, especially if you're worried about the virtue of your grandchildren."

Shock flashed across Jii-chan's face just as understanding dawned on Souta's. "Ohhh! You think they're having s-"

"That's enough!" Karu's face went bright red as she cut off her son's exclamation of discovery. Jii-chan looked like he was ready to faint at the mention of the forbidden act, while Souta just looked bouncy and curious. Then, before anyone could figure out what to say next, there came the sound of a faint _slam, _followed by a pair of footsteps descending the stairs. As one, the Higurashi clan turned to see what was happening.

Kagome hurried into the kitchen, followed closely by InuYasha. Both of them were hurriedly tucking garments into place and trying their best to look like they hadn't been doing what they had done. They weren't very successful, as Kagome was wobbling about like she was having trouble walking, and InuYasha had just finished doing up his obi, making it painfully obvious that the two of them had just done the dance of love. Kagome looked up from the act of brushing wrinkles out of her new shirt and caught sight of her family gawking at them. She froze, knees locking and body rigid. InuYasha bumped into her and was just opening his mouth to curse at her when he glanced toward the Higurashi clan. His mouth hung open for a few seconds before snapping shut with a sharp click.

For a few awkward seconds, nobody spoke. Kagome looked down at her sock-clad feet, shuffling about as she tried to ignore the burning stares coming at her from the table. InuYasha's ears flattened as he looked away too, his hands retreating into the sleeves of his haori. Jii-chan's accusatory stare penetrated whatever shabby defense they might have risen against him, burning them with fierce waves of deprecation.

"Well, then," Karu stated, clapping her hands together. The clap was like a gunshot in the thick silence, startling everyone present. "I'll serve dinner now. InuYasha-kun, Kagome, please take your seats." She turned away and hurried over to the cupboard, fetching bowls and chopsticks. The scrape of wood against rough mat reached her ears, telling her that the couple had pulled out their chairs and sat down. Mama Higurashi quickly brought the dinner over to the table, dishing it out and handing different portions to each person sitting at the table, moving fast to try and dissuade any conversation-at least, for the time being. When everybody had been served, she sat down, taking her own portion and starting on her meal.

"So!" Jii-chan declared, slamming his bowl of rice down with more force than necessary. Kagome jumped, a few drops escaping her tea-cup as she looked at Jii-chan with the expression reserved for a deer caught in the blazing lights of an oncoming car. InuYasha reached out to steady her, putting down his own (already half-eaten) bowl of rice. "For shame! For _shame!_ Doing...doing _that _at your-"

"Father!" Karu interjected, pushing a dish of sushi closer to the old man, "Would you like some makizushi?" The old man looked at the proffered food, temporarily distracted.

"Why not?" he grunted, reaching out and grabbing one of the delicacies of the tray. Kagome threw Mama Higurashi a grateful look as she leaned back against InuYasha for support. Souta, who was sitting opposite InuYasha, grinned and leaned over to whisper to the hanyou. Mama noticed and moved quickly to cut him off.

"Souta! Try some of this, I think you'll like it!" Souta's bottom lip pushed out slightly when he turned to his mother, but brightened upon sight of the tasty-looking offering.

"So, what are you two going to do, now that you're out of the hospital?" Karu asked, deliberately steering away from the subject she knew was on everybody's minds. Kagome sneaked a peek at InuYasha before responding cautiously.

"Well, we don't have any _formal _plans yet...but I think we're going to get married." A faint flush moved over Kagome's cheeks as she spoke, but she looked pleased. InuYasha, who had been taking a swig of tea during Kagome's speech, choked and spat when the word 'married' fell from her lips. Kagome reached over and started thumping him on the back, a concerned look on her face.

The effect this sentence had on her family was incredible. Jii-chan instantly brightened, his glower vanishing as if it had never been. Karu gave a small cry of joy, clapping her hands together. Souta's grin grew wider as he beamed at the couple sitting across from him.

"Good, I'm glad you're considering a...a _serious _relationship," Jii-chan complimented, a small smile tugging at his lips. "I give you two my blessing."

"Mine as well," Karu added, her smile faintly smug.

"Now Inu-no-niichan will _really _be my nii-chan!" Souta cried happily, his smile wide and eyes sparkling. InuYasha muttered something under his breath that sounded faintly like, "s'pose so." Kagome reached over and took his hand, offering him her support.

"I'm glad you've sorted that out, then," Mama declared, sweeping up the empty bowls (no-one seemed to be paying attention to what they were eating) and moving away from the table so she could deposit the dirty dishes in the sink. "I hope you two will be happy together."

Kagome jumped to her feet, pulling InuYasha up with her. "Arigato, Mama. Now, if you'll excuse us." She promptly fled from the dining room, her grandfather's shout following them up the stairs:

"Don't do anything indecent, you two! I _still _say you're too young!"

Kagome darted into her room and slammed the door shut. With a sigh of relief, she sagged onto her frilly office chair, not caring about the small puff of dust that rose as she did so. InuYasha went over to the bed and collapsed on it, his nostrils flaring at the scents rising from the pink sheets. For a minute, nobody spoke. Both of them were absolutely mortified by what had happened in the dining room.

Kagome broke the silence first. "That was, without a doubt, the most embarrassing thing I've ever had to sit through." She buried her face in her hands, her cheeks flaring bright crimson at the memory.

"Yeah," InuYasha agreed. His voice sounded a little dazed, as the powerful scents from their copulation were addling his nose. "Your grandfather is so damn _nosy_."

Kagome went, if possible, even redder. "He's just thinking of what's best for me. Or what he _thinks _is best for me. It's not what _I _think is best for me," she amended-Kami, would she never stop blushing? InuYasha snorted at the look on her face.

"Calm down, Kagome. I ain't accusing you of nothing." Reaching out, the hanyou took her hand and let his fingers lace through hers. Kagome giggled softly and moved forward to rest her forehead against his.

"He _is _nosy," she stated after some time. InuYasha snorted again, a smirk crossing his face.

"So, are we staying here tonight?" he asked, almost nonchalantly.

"Yes. It's already night-time." Kagome rose from the chair, shuffling over to sit by InuYasha. She put her arms around his neck and nuzzled his shoulder, a small sound like a purr rising in her throat. "Besides, I'd like some more time alone with you."

It was InuYasha's turn to blush now. "Y'mean...even after what your grandfather said?"

"Yep. Anyway, he said don't do anything indecent...and _I _don't think this is indecent."

"You are a sneaky wench...has anyone ever told you that?"

Kagome giggled softly as she slowly wrapped herself around him. "No, I don't believe they have. Hmm...sneaky wench...not exactly romantic, but it has a nice ring to it..."

InuYasha pulled her closer, accepting the kiss she gave him with eager fervor. She made a happy little sound in the back of her throat and pulled herself closer, nipping eagerly at his lips.

Could life get any better than this? If it did, then InuYasha didn't want it. It had been years-_years_-since anyone had loved him, but _never _had he been loved like this; a love that was physical as well as emotional. Then there was the months they had spent hunting Naraku, and the weeks that Kagome had held Naraku's heart within her head. All of that had put personal feelings on hold, as the quest for the Shikon-no-Tama took priority over everything else. But _now_, now Naraku was dead, now the Shikon-no-Tama no longer existed-now they were free to be together. Now, all the months of suffering and pain could be put behind them. Life looked good to the two of them.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Nothing to do with the story, but today is my brother Brinty512's birthday! I dedicate this chapter to you!  
><em>


	48. Moving Forward

Dawn was never noisy when it rose, but it always managed to come at an awkward time. The golden sunbeams peaked over the Eastern horizon; glancing off Tokyo's skyscrapers and making them shine like precious gems. Slowly, the rays of light sneaked into one of the upstairs windows of the Higurashi household, tiptoeing along until they reached the pink-covered bed. Then, moving with the certainty of the rising sun, the beams of light poked the two sleeping figures lying amidst the mussed sheets. The groans started immediately upon contact with the bright light. Both of them rolled around, grumbling to themselves as the light forced them from the world of deep sleep and pleasant dreams to the world of reality.

InuYasha was first to wake. He had never really been a deep sleeper anyway, and the warm fingers of sunlight stabbing him in the face didn't give him much of an incentive to stay asleep. With a grumble and a muffled curse, the hanyou let himself drift to consciousness, blinking back the few remaining strands of sleep. For a moment, he just laid there, immersed in the scents of himself and Kagome. That mixture, so tantalizing and teasing when the miko had been lying prone in the hospital in a coma, was all the more wonderful now that it was so much more potent. No, it was more than wonderful: it was _right_.

A soft groan came from somewhere near him. InuYasha looked over to his right, instinctively tensing though he knew there was no threat. The source of the sound was Kagome, who groaned again and threw one arm over her eyes, trying to block out the light as she rolled over, curling up like a cat as she did so. He instantly relaxed, smirking as he watched Kagome rise from a dream she was obviously unwilling to leave.

"Kagome," he called softly, nudging the crown of her head with his nose. "Wake up."

"Go 'way," she moaned, rolling onto her back and stretching out. "Do'wanna."

InuYasha snorted and reached out with his hand. He gripped her shoulder tightly before shaking her awake. With a start, Kagome sat up. The pink blanket fell away from her, revealing her less than clothed chest. The hanyou quickly looked away, thanking every Kami that did or did not exist for the unexpected sight. Kagome, meanwhile, was yawning widely, not seeming to care that her breasts were bared for all to see. When she was done yawning, she turned to see InuYasha with his nose stuffed in the pillow, looking like he was trying to sleep.

"You hypocrite!" she growled, reaching out to gently punch his shoulder. "I just woke up and now _you_ get to go back to sleep?"

"Not sleeping," he replied, his voice muffled by the pillow. Kagome's brow furrowed as she contemplated the way InuYasha's silver mane fell over both sides of his body. It was quite attractive, actually; the silver strands, falling like an unending waterfall over either side of the hanyou's back, pooling on the pink mattress and streaming over the covers…Kagome slapped her cheeks and made herself focus. _'__I__'__m __supposed __to __be __angry __at __him,__not __gawking,__' _she told herself sternly. There would be plenty of time for that later.

"What do you mean, you're not sleeping?" she asked, her tone sulky. "It sure looks like you're sleeping."

InuYasha let one eye rise up from the soft pillow. Kagome caught a small glimpse of gold before it was quickly muffled by puffy pillow. "Shirt," he explained. "You're not wearing a shirt."

Kagome glimpsed down, noticing her bare chest for the first time. "Oh, _that,_" she realized, her anger ebbing. It was funny that him hiding his face because she wasn't wearing any clothes would be better than him demanding she wake up before going back to sleep. At least he was defending her honor, right? She giggled, biting her cheeks in an attempt to keep quiet. It _was_ funny.

"It's okay, InuYasha. You can look." The words were a little strange in Kagome's mouth after all the times she had screamed 'osuwari,' thrown rocks, sticks or just slapped him whenever he set so much as one clawed toe in the vicinity of her naked body. However, that was before the events of the night before, when they had shared something so precious and new together. In her opinion, staring was the least he could do.

"You're not mad?" InuYasha asked, peeping up cautiously from the pillow. Kagome felt a pang of regret hit her heart at the show of reluctance the hanyou was putting on. Was she really that scary when she was mad? Was this 'chivalry' just a result of all the times she had pummeled him for accidentally walking in on her when she was bathing? How could she have let this happen? She loved him; in this era, lovers most definitely did _not _beat each other up.

Well, they were together now, so she would have to let some of the more…_violent_ aspects of their relationship fall by the wayside. _'__I__ never __really __meant __to __hurt __him __so __much,__' _she thought. _'__I __just__…' _The thought trailed off before it could reach any meaningful conclusion, so she left it at that. First, to business: letting her hanyou know that it was perfectly all right to ogle her now.

"Why would I be mad?" Kagome reached out and took one of the hanyou's hands, feeling the thick calluses on his palms and fingers with her own far daintier digits. He rose fully from the pillow, blinking owlishly at her. Kagome wrapped both of her hands around his, the tips of her fingers playing with his claws. "I'm not mad at you, InuYasha," she told him. "After what happened last night, there's no reason to be mad at you anymore. What we shared last night…" she trailed off, unable to find words strong enough to express the gravity of last night's events. So she continued instead: "You and I are together now; there's nothing I won't share with you." As she spoke, InuYasha rose from the bed, still carefully keeping his eyes away from her chest, but looking more confident than he had before.

"You're really not mad at me," he stated, almost wondrously. She beamed at him, her eyes sparkling with warmth. Then the miko gave her hanyou's hand a squeeze to affirm his statement. Slowly, a hesitant smile flowed over his face, breaking through his hesitant mask like the sun breaking through a layer of clouds. Kagome's smile became, if possible, even brighter than before. She was positively glowing with excitement and happiness.

"Come on, then!" She threw back the pink covers and towed InuYasha off the bed and out the door. The hanyou, shocked now, tried to put on the brakes and stop Kagome's mad dash, only to be practically jerked off his feet when she gave his hand an insistent tug.

"Kagome, what the hell are you doing?" he complained. "I don't know if you noticed, but we're-"

"I noticed!" she retorted, nipping quickly into the door standing opposite the entrance to her bedroom and slamming it shut. "I thought we might take a shower before eating breakfast and returning to the Sengoku jidai."

InuYasha stared at her as Kagome walked over to the gleaming bathtub and bent to start the water. "W-w-w-we?" he stuttered. His tongue seemed to have grown far too large for his mouth: he was having trouble getting words out around it. "A-as in take a shower _together?_"

Kagome turned back to look at him, one eyebrow raised. "I keep thinking you'll get used to us being a couple," she sighed softly, "but you keep surprising me. Yes, InuYasha, as in we're taking a shower together." Her lips pushed out in a slight pout as she fiddled with the faucet's handle, tracing the silver contours with one finger. "Of course, if you…don't _want _to…I won't make you." Kagome looked extremely put out now. Her bright smile was gone, her shoulders were slumping in on themselves, and her demeanor carried an air of disappointment. InuYasha noticed and tried hard not to panic.

"I never said I didn't want to!" he stated hurriedly. "I…It's just _weird,_that's all."

Kagome perked up a little bit. "The newness of it all, you mean?"

InuYasha blushed. "Yeah. The…_newness._ I ain't used to doing shit like this, Kagome. I've been alone for so long now…it's weird to have someone there with me."

The miko smiled at him again; a warm, kind smile this time. She walked back over to him and took his hand again, lifting it up and letting it rest against her cheek. "This is new for me too, InuYasha. Don't forget that. It's not like I knew exactly what we were going to do the moment we got together: far from it! The Kami aren't going to just fly down from the heavens and deposit all the answers in our laps-we have to figure out what we're going to do as we go along. That's the truth of life, InuYasha. It's not that one person knows what to do, but that both of us are clueless."

InuYasha cocked his head at her in the way that made him look like a puppy. "So…are you saying we're both baka, but that's okay?" Kagome looked at him incredulously for a few seconds, then doubled over, positively bawling with laughter. InuYasha scowled, his eyebrows drawing together to make one angry black line. "Why're you laughin' at me?" he grumbled, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning back against the wall. Kagome held up a hand, still laughing madly.

"I love you, InuYasha," she finally gasped. His eyebrows rose in surprise, though he still looked pleased at the sentiment.

"Why is that funny?" he asked, curious now. Kagome used the nearby toilet to push herself to her feet, still giggling quietly. InuYasha came over and helped her to her feet, careful not to touch any part of her that was (for the time being) off-limits.

Kagome shook her head. "It's not. What you _said _was funny. The fact that I love you is not." Without further ado, she pulled him toward the shower. "I promise not to make the water too hot," she told him. InuYasha snorted, but did not stop her from pushing him inside the tub, then clambering in after him.

'_This __whole __together__ thing,__' _he mused as Kagome readied the shower, _'__is__ not __as __bad __as __I __thought __it __might __be__…'_

* * *

><p>The shower wasn't too long, thought it was…<em>interesting.<em>Needless to say, the couple was soon back in Kagome's room, gathering up their clothes and preparing for the new day. Kagome was dithering between several outfits, wondering which would she would be most prepared to lose somewhere in the Sengoku jidai. InuYasha watched her, already bedecked in his standard fire-rat haori and matching hakama. He snorted as she looked at one shirt and almost put it on, only to toss it aside and inspect another.

"Can't you make up your mind?" he teased. "It'll be the middle of next winter by the time you're done picking out your clothes." Kagome glared at him, the current contender for shirt-wear dangling from her hand. He met her gaze, one eyebrow rising slightly as he looked into her eyes. After a few minutes Kagome broke off their staring contest and went back to perusing her clothes.

Finally, ten minutes later, Kagome had decided what she was going to wear. She dressed inside her closet, aware of the less-than patient hanyou outside who was already growling his incredulity about "indecisive women" to whatever Kami was listening. When she stepped out, InuYasha looked at her, his grumbles fading as he took in her choice of clothing.

"Your old school uniform?" InuYasha eyed the green skirt and sailor shirt combo with slight amusement, his lips twitching with the effort of holding back his smile. "Why that?"

Kagome shrugged slightly, idly toying with the red bow hanging down the front of the shirt. "I thought, since we were pretty much coming full circle…it was apt."

InuYasha had no reply to that. Kagome walked over to him and sat down in front of him, reaching out to trace the beads of the subjugation kotodama with one hand. "Speaking of coming full circle…" With one deft move, she seized the beads and yanked them off the hanyou, moving carefully past his ears and over his hair. Surprisingly, he caught her hand just as the beads were passing over the last of his mane. Kagome looked at him, surprised to see anger in his golden eyes.

"What the hell are you doing?" he growled, his fangs flashing at her.

"Taking this off. You hate it, and it's not really necessary anymore." Kagome pulled free of InuYasha's hand and succeeded in removing the beads. They hung from her hand, looking limp and powerless. InuYasha looked at them before switching his gaze to Kagome.

"Why now?" he asked. "You never wanted to remove it before. Why now?"

Kagome put the beads down on the bedside table before reaching out and wrapping her arms around the hanyou's shoulders. "I thought you'd like that," she murmured. "After all that's happened…all that's _going _to happen…I thought you would like the last piece of your freedom back."

InuYasha whined softly, putting his arms about Kagome's waist and burying his nose in her neck. "You didn't have to," he told her. "I wasn't going to complain if you didn't."

"It wasn't fair," she argued. "Mama always told me that both people in a relationship need to be on equal ground with each other. That necklace crippled you and gave me an unfair advantage."

"What about all the times it's saved our lives?" he challenged. "Or when I go full-youkai?"

Kagome pulled back to look at him, her face astounded. "I can't believe _you _of all people would argue _for _keeping the kotodama." One of her hands moved to his forehead, pushing back his silver bangs as she felt the skin underneath. "Are you feeling okay?" she asked, a little concerned now.

"I ain't feverish, wench!" InuYasha barked, startling her and nearly knocking her out of his lap and off the bed. "I'm not," he repeated, a little more gently this time. "I just…yeah, there was a time when all I wanted was to get that kotodama off and be free, but…but I've changed since then, and you have too. You don't use it against me that much anymore, and when you do, I usually deserve it. Don't argue," he growled, cutting Kagome off just as she started to open her mouth, "I know it's true. I'll let you take 'em, but just know that I don't think you should." He thought for a few seconds before adding, "Don't throw them away. We might need them later."

Kagome pondered this for a few seconds before nodding and taking the beads up again. "Maybe we can ask Kaede-ba-chan to disenchant the kotodama," she mused. "Then you can keep it and still be free. We both win." InuYasha snorted softly, but decided that it was probably for the best. Hadn't he wanted Kagome to realize how unfair the beads were?

Kagome, meanwhile, was studying InuYasha's face with curiosity. It was strange that he wouldn't be more jubilant about the removal of the kotodama, yet here he was, sitting here like it didn't matter to him at all, like it was as unimportant as the weather. Those bright golden eyes of his were filled with content, if not excitement. _'__So__ beautiful,__' _she thought. _'__How __could __he __have __such__ gorgeous __eyes?__' _Unconsciously, as if he were a magnet, she drew closer to him, her nose bumping gently against his. He was still looking at her, his face rapidly transforming from content to a mixture of excitement and confusion. Then Kagome carefully let her lips touch InuYasha's in the softest of kisses.

It was only a matter of time before InuYasha took over, taking the kiss and making it wilder, more unpredictable, and less gentle: much like himself, actually. Kagome didn't mind. She loved him, after all, and accepted every part of him he had to offer. His hand came up to hold her head steady, his fingers knotting in her hair. Kagome's arms went about his neck, holding him close as he continued his assault. A few more minutes of this, and they might end up having to start their morning all over again.

The door burst open at that very moment, banging off the wall with a sound like a gunshot. The couple gave a yelp, breaking off the kiss as Kagome ducked into the safety of InuYasha's chest. InuYasha growled, reaching out for his Tetsusaiga, which was resting nearby.

The intruder turned out to be Jii-chan, who had thrown open the door with all the force he could muster. The old man was standing in the doorway, his withered chest heaving with pants. His rheumy eyes were on the entwined couple sitting on the bed, his wrinkled brow furrowing slightly.

"I _knew_ it!" he shouted. "I _knew _you were doing something indecent! I _knew_ it!"

"Jii-chan!" Kagome complained, peering out over InuYasha's arm to glare at her grandfather. "We weren't doing _anything _indecent! We were just kissing!"

"Don't lie to me, Kagome!" Jii-chan's eyes were filled with vigorous fire as he attempted to 'champion' his granddaughter's virtue. "I know what you were doing!"

Kagome moaned softly. "I don't want to hear this, I don't want to hear this," she chanted, burying her face in InuYasha's chest and covering her ears with her hands. InuYasha, for his part, looked like he was trying to melt into the bed. His ears were lying flat on his head while he looked at anything that wasn't the old man in front of him. The hanyou's arms were still wrapped around Kagome, but he seemed unaware that she was there.

Relief came in the form of Mama Higurashi, who heard the sound of the commotion and had promptly come to investigate. Upon seeing the embarrassed couple getting a tongue-lashing from the old man, she quickly stepped in to do damage control. "Father," she interrupted, stepping around Jii-chan and into Kagome's room, "Pardon me, but do you think you could help me with breakfast? I'm afraid I'm at a loss as to what I should make."

The old man, who had been about to lay into Kagome and InuYasha again, turned around, looking confused. "What's that? You don't know what to make for breakfast?" His voice was skeptical, as if he suspected her ruse. "What would I know about cooking?"

"I don't expect you to know anything about cooking, Father," Karu replied calmly. "I just want your honest opinion about what we should have." At the words 'honest opinion,' the old man suddenly perked up, his chest swelling slightly. If Jii-chan ever loved anything more than the Higurashi shrine, it was somebody asking him either about a story or his opinion.

"Why, certainly, my dear. If you are at a loss, then I will be more than glad to help you out." With that, the old man strutted out of the room. Mama Higurashi paused at the doorway, her eyes on her daughter and InuYasha.

"I'm sorry about that. Father really _does_ mean well." Karu's tone of voice was apologetic, though her face was still gentle and happy. The only answer she got was a snort from InuYasha. "See you at breakfast," was her parting statement before she quickly hurried downstairs.

"Dear Kami," Kagome moaned, looking up from the shelter of InuYasha's arms, "If Jii-chan doesn't stop doing things for my good, I might just kill him."

"Not if I get there first," InuYasha growled, still looking sheepish. Kagome let out a brief laugh before she disentangled herself from InuYasha's arms, only pausing to place a swift kiss on his cheek.

"Come on, InuYasha. Let's go see what Jii-chan's suggestion for breakfast is." Kagome headed for the open door, her inu-hanyou hot on her heels, both of them drawn to the smell of food on the air, but neither of them sure that they wanted to face the well-meaning ways of Kagome's grandfather.

* * *

><p>Somehow Mama Higurashi was able to control Jii-chan's urge to interrogate Kagome and InuYasha about their night by keeping up a steady offering of the old man's favorite foods. Souta seemed to know better and kept quiet, though occasionally he sniggered behind his hands when Jii-chan opened his mouth to speak only to be sidetracked by his mother.<p>

Kagome chewed halfheartedly at her breakfast, not really tasting anything she put in her mouth. It really _had _been a nice night and an even better morning, but then her grandfather had to come along and spoil everything. Like Mama said, he did mean well, but every time he butted into their affairs, InuYasha backed away from her like a pup caught doing something naughty. It was frustrating as all hell, especially considering the big step they had taken in their relationship last night.

"What are you going to do today, Kagome?" Mama asked when breakfast was finished and she was clearing away the dishes. Kagome looked up from the mindless pattern she had been doodling on the kitchen table.

"I think we're going to head out today. It's nothing personal, but if we're going to get married and settled down," both Kagome and InuYasha's faces turned bright red here, but she continued as if she hadn't noticed, "then the sooner the better, right?" Here she glared at Jii-chan, her eyes filled with harmless hostility. If the old man noticed this less-than loving stare he was getting, he didn't comment on it.

"All right." Mama gathered up the dishes and headed over to the sink, plopping them down with a few protesting _clinks._She then turned on the faucet and started cleaning them, aware of the thick silence that had started up behind her. Based on recent experiences, Karu guessed that Takao would be fixing the young couple at the table with a piercing stare, as if he could exorcise their 'sins' just by looking at them. Maybe he wouldn't question them, but the accusation in his stare would be more than enough to make the hanyou and miko writhe in their seats. With that thought resounding in her head, Karu decided that maybe the dishes could be left off for an hour or two. She turned off the faucet and quickly wheeled around.

Sure enough, Kagome and InuYasha were squirming uncomfortably in their seats, pinned by the fierce stare Takao had turned on them. Neither of them seemed willing to rise from their seats and escape him. It was like his eyes were some sort of youkai entrapping ward, holding them captive with powers unseen. Karu quickly moved forward, crusading to liberate the young couple.

"So, will you leave immediately, or will you wait a while?" she asked. Kagome was doodling on the table again, not paying much attention to the question. InuYasha was the one who answered Mama Higurashi's inquiry this time.

"I think we're going to leave now." He looked over at Kagome for conformation as he spoke. The miko practically rocketed from her chair, nearly sending the piece of furniture flying as she did so. He was up in a second, ready to follow her wherever she chose to go. Mama smiled and moved forward, shooting her father-in-law a glare that clearly said _leave __them__ alone _as she did so. Souta scrambled up, eager to see his sister off, and Jii-chan followed soon afterward, mumbling something about "too young, even if they are getting married," again.

They reached the well-house in record time, painfully aware of the three members of the Higurashi clan following them. InuYasha was just about to open the doors to the well-shrine when Kagome caught his arm, a sudden thought having just dawned on her.

"InuYasha, if the Shikon-no-Tama is truly gone from this world now-will the well still work?" she asked anxiously, her face drawn and worried. InuYasha suddenly looked just as worried as she felt.

"It worked when I brought you to this world, but I don't think the jewel had 'passed on' then." Kagome emitted a low moan when he stated this, pulling herself closer to him and ignoring the storm of protests that came from behind her.

"Kami, if that happened because of me, I-"

"Don't apologize," InuYasha growled. "It's not your fault." With that, he pushed open the doors to the shrine. There was a chance, he told himself. Even so, he found himself praying to any Kami that might be listening to let the Bone-Eater's Well work, or, at least, work well enough to perform this one last duty.

The silence within the murky depths of the well-house was deafening. Ominous shadows lurked in every corner and darted over every inch of dilapidated wood. Even though her training was limited, Kagome's miko senses were still good enough to tell her that the aura that usually surrounded the Bone-Eater's Well had faded and weakened. She moved forward, taking the stairs carefully as she approached the ancient well. Reaching out, Kagome placed one hand on the well's rim and closed her eyes, focusing harder than she ever had in her entire life. InuYasha moved to stand beside her, placing one hand on her waist for comfort and support. He waited, watching Kagome's face for any sign of bad news.

Several minutes later, Kagome's eyes opened again. "It's faint, but the aura of the Bone-Eater's Well hasn't faded yet. However...I don't think it'll last for much longer. If we're going to leave, it has to be now, and...and it'll be the last time." Kagome swallowed slightly as she said this. Even though she had long since accepted that her place was at InuYasha's side in the Sengoku jidai, the idea that she would be leaving her family forever on this day was still a hard pill to swallow.

InuYasha understood Kagome's sadness for what it was, and leaned forward to nuzzle her cheek. "Do you want to say goodbye before you leave?" he asked, his voice soft. Kagome looked back at her family, who were all standing at the top of the stairs, watching the couple with a measure of confusion.

"Yes," she replied. "I would very much like to say goodbye to my family." She moved away from InuYasha, stopping just at the bottom of the stairs. Looking up at her family, Kagome started on her final goodbye.

"Since we destroyed the Shikon-no-Tama, which was the only thing keeping this well 'alive,' the aura of the Bone-Eater's Well is dying. It'll last us for one more journey, but...that's it." As she expected, the reaction to her deliverance was largely shock mixed with horror. Mama Higurashi clapped her hands over her mouth, her eyes wide. Souta let out a cry of horror. Jii-chan just stared at her, his eyes dimming in dismay.

"You mean...you won't ever come back?" Mama asked. Sure, she had been ready to accept that Kagome was moving away-didn't all mothers have to face that fact one day? However, she had _not _been ready for Kagome going five hundred years into the past for good, never to be seen by the Heisei jidai again.

"No, Mama. I won't ever come back. I won't be able to. The well is about to die." Kagome hated the pleading tone of her voice, like she was begging for her mother's forgiveness, as if she had committed some vile sin. InuYasha moved forward too, reaching out and touching her shoulder as he did so. She seemed grateful for the gesture, letting one hand rise to cover his.

Mama wasted no time and rushed forward, her arms open wide to receive her daughter. Kagome embraced her mother for the last time, burying her face in her shoulder and letting her weep into her hair. Seconds later, Souta darted forward too, throwing himself at his sister's waist and hugging her tightly.

InuYasha stepped back and away from the Higurashi hug fest. Though he knew the Higurashi clan considered him a part of the family, this was truly _their _moment, and he had no part in it. Kagome was already coming with him instead of staying here with them, so he had nothing to be bitter about in letting her have this last goodbye.

The only person who hadn't thrown themselves on Kagome was Jii-chan, who was still watching the whole affair from the top of the stairs. His buggy eyes were filling with tears, his mouth twitching slightly. InuYasha looked at him, a slight scowl marring his lips. "You got nothing to say, jijii?" he challenged.

Jii-chan turned to look at him, the tears breaking free and rushing down his face. "Please forgive me, my dear boy," he croaked. "I...I did not realize that...I would not..." the old man broke down, crying bitterly into his haori sleeves. InuYasha, taken aback, felt slightly guilty at this reaction, feeling personally responsible for the old man's tears.

Kagome, meanwhile, was pulling gently away from her mother and brother. Tears were glimmering in her own eyes, but she put on a brave face and smiled anyway. "Well, I suppose we have to go now." She stood on tiptoe and planted a gentle kiss against her mother's cheek. "Take care, Mama." Then, she leaned down and ruffled Souta's scruffy hair. "Keep out of trouble, okay, Souta?" The youth's lip trembled, but he nodded. Finally, Kagome turned to her jii-chan. Moving toward him, she reached out and hugged him, feeling his body trembling with the force of his tears. "Goodbye, Jii-chan," she told him. "Thanks for looking out for me." He looked up at her, looking more vulnerable than she remembered him being.

"Of course. For my favorite granddaughter, always," he mumbled. Kagome smiled, though she was closer to tears than ever now. As she moved back toward InuYasha, however, Jii-chan piped up, directing this last statement to InuYasha. "Take good care of her, m'boy. She's a good girl, you know."

InuYasha nodded, then turned back toward the well. "Bye," he said simply. His throat felt like it had been coated in glue, and it was hard to get a coherent word to move through it. Kagome was at his side then, pressing herself to him and shivering madly. Slowly, they mounted the edge of the well for the last time, looking down into its black depths. Then, they let themselves fall and be swallowed up by the time-stream, the ghosts of the Higurashi clan's distressed faces still etched in their minds.

The last trip through the time-stream was spent in silence, a silence more thick and potent than the one back in the well-house. Before, when Kagome was recovering from losing the hearing in one ear, they had accepted that she was going to leave the Heisei jidai forever. Yet, this recent parting had not only reopened those wounds he thought closed, but had deepened them as well.

A soft bump marked the end of their journey. Aptly enough, it was raining in the Sengoku jidai, at just the perfect angle to send a volley of water plummeting down into the well. InuYasha barely had time to grumble at this unlucky turn of events before he felt Kagome whip around in his arms. Before he could demand what she was doing or feel hurt that she was leaving, she was upon him, her lips ramming on his with the force of a battering ram. It was a totally different kiss from the one she had given him that morning. That kiss had been sweet, loving, happy and bright, filled with the joys of love and the optimism preceding a new life. This kiss was desperate, despairing and lonely, the sadness of their recent parting etching itself into every touch of her lips on his. InuYasha reacted quickly and instinctively to this exposure of Kagome's feelings: he kissed her back, pulling her as close to his body as it was possible for her to be, giving her what she needed and taking little for himself. The rain could go to hell, as far as he was concerned. Kagome was way more important than some tiny drops of water.

After a while, he broke off the kiss, but only to nuzzle and kiss her neck instead. Kagome whimpered slightly, tucking her chin down and capturing his head. She clung to him, not caring that she was quickly becoming soaked because of the rain. She needed him, needed him now more than ever before.

If the sky had emotions, it seemed that it had been hurt by their lack of care, for the rain came down harder than before, most of it appearing to run down into the well and drench the pair. InuYasha shook his head slightly, growling at the rivulets of water running down his bangs as he did so.

"C'mon, Kagome. We'd better get to Kaede-baba's before this fuckin' rain gets worse." InuYasha tugged her onto his back and jumped up, clearing the well in an instant and sprinting out in the direction of the village. He had to be more careful than normally, seeing as the pathways were lined with slippery mud that would send him flying if he hit it wrong.

They made it back to Kaede's hut, just in time for the rain to become a deluge, pounding the earth with fists of water and churning the already muddy pathways into brown waterfalls. The old woman was busying herself about the fire, but upon hearing someone enter the hut, she looked up. The sight of InuYasha and Kagome standing their, soaked to the bone but nevertheless okay, made her mouth drop open in shock.

"How...how..." For the first time in her life, the miko couldn't think of a single thing to say, her mind was so overcome by the impossible sight before her. Yes, she knew that InuYasha and Kagome had both gone missing from the storage hut, as well as the fact that the Shikon-no-Tama had vanished too. Nobody had known what to make of it, and everybody had become very distraught at the idea that their friends might have tried to use the jewel and ended up paying for it. Indeed, Miroku, Sango and Shippou had been terribly distraught upon learning that their decision to give the magical jewel to their friends might have ended up causing their destruction. The threesome were currently scouring the storage hut with a fine-toothed comb, trying to find anything that discredited the theory that InuYasha and Kagome had become one of the Shikon-no-Tama's many victims.

However, the evidence was right here, standing in front of Kaede. InuYasha and Kagome, both of them bedraggled and soggy, but looking none the worse for wear. In fact, they looked as healthy as ever they had, as if the sickness and injuries that had afflicted them after the battle with Naraku had simply never occurred. Hence the goggling.

"It's all right, Kaede-ba-chan," Kagome soothed, moving forward and taking the old woman's withered hand with one of her own. "We're fine now. Nothing's wrong." The young miko did her best to smile, but it was hard, considering what she had just gone through. InuYasha followed her, resisting the urge to bend down and start shaking himself to get the water out of his clothes. Kagome hated it when he did that, and it was likely Kaede did, too.

After getting over the initial shock of seeing Kagome and InuYasha just strolling in through her door, Kaede recovered some of her composure. Her one eye narrowed in suspicion as she regarded the twosome before her with a stern glare. "How did you two heal so quickly?" she asked. "It has only been a week since we last saw you, yet you both look hale and hearty."

Kagome and InuYasha looked at each other, a discussion passing between them without a word being said aloud. The hanyou inclined his head at her; a sign that Kagome should tell the truth. "It's a long story," she sighed, shifting back to wrap her arms around her legs. Before she could continue, Kaede raised a hand, halting her in her tracks.

"Before you tell me what happened, I think we should wait for Miroku-sama, Sango and Shippou to return. They are all very upset about...whatever happened a week ago." Kaede eyed the couple speculatively as she spoke, noticing the way they shifted uncomfortably at the mention of the previous week.

"Where are they?" Kagome asked.

"They went to the storage hut. They've been there for the past few days, trying to figure out what happened there." She sighed, looking out at the rain that was pounding the earth into a churning brown mess. "All three of them feel guilty, since it was their idea to give you the Shikon-no-Tama. They think-"

"-that we tried to use the jewel and died," Kagome finished for her.

"That's fucking stupid!" InuYasha snorted, shaking himself just a little bit to dislodge some of the water. Honestly, he _hated _being soaked to the skin, but unless he wanted to get kicked back out into the rain, the hanyou would just have to deal with it and _not _shake himself like he dearly wanted to. "Why in the name of the seven hells would they think we _died?_"

Kaede glared at him, her eye narrowed into a slit. "The pair of you vanished without a trace, InuYasha. Why _shouldn't_ they think that?" InuYasha had no reply to that. His ears lowered in shame as his eyes skittered away from hers, landing on a knot in one of the hut's wooden boards. Kagome went to him and laced an arm through his, leaning her head against his shoulder.

At that moment, there was a rustle of movement as the reed mat covering the entrance to Kaede's hut was pushed aside. Three sodden figures squished their way into the hut, looking all the more solemn because of the soaked state of their clothing. Miroku was in the lead, followed by Sango, who had Kirara tucked underneath her kosode, and Shippou, who was sitting on Sango's shoulder.

"We didn't manage to find anything, Kaede-sama," Miroku announced gravely. "It's almost as if-" He suddenly stopped mid-track and mid-sentence, screeching to a halt as suddenly as if he had run into a brick wall. Sango didn't notice and bumped roughly into him, nearly sending all three of them toppling to the ground. She looked up to see what had caught his attention and caught sight of Kagome and InuYasha.

A few awkward moments passed in which nobody did anything. Kagome and InuYasha were matching shades of pink, embarrassed by their friends' stares. Miroku, Sango and Shippou were completely astounded by the sudden appearance of the hanyou and miko, whom they believed to be lost. Kaede, for her part, looked a cross between concerned and amused.

"I guess we owe you an explanation," Kagome finally stated. "Sit down, and we'll talk."

This was quickly agreed upon to be the best course of action, so the soggy group huddled around the fire while Kaede readied a kettle so she could make some tea. While they were waiting for the water to warm up, Kagome and InuYasha took turns talking about what had happened precisely one week before: about the wish Kagome had made upon the Shikon-no-Tama, and the resulting coma; how InuYasha had sped her to the Heisei jidai so she could get proper treatment; how Kikyou's soul had been trying to drag Kagome's to the Other World, and her success at being able to let go, and finally, how Kagome had left the Heisei jidai forever this very afternoon, using the last dregs of power that the Bone-Eater's Well possessed to make it back to the Sengoku jidai. Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kaede and even Kirara listened attentively to their story, gasping at some parts and sighing at others. When Kagome mentioned that she would never be able to return to her home, their audience became very sad.

"It hurts right now," Kagome finished, her admission causing her shoulders to cave somewhat, "but at least I'm here with you guys, _and_ I'm all right. That's something, isn't it?"

"That is indeed something," Miroku agreed. "I'm sure your family would have wanted you to be happy anyway, no matter what paths you chose to take."

"Yes." Kagome smiled gratefully, happy that Miroku had understood her feelings so easily.

"So what are you going to do now?" Sango asked, picking up her teacup and tracing the ring with her littlest finger. Kagome turned her attention to her, brow creasing slightly.

"We haven't decided yet...unless..." Kagome's eyes brightened, her shoulders straightening as an idea came to her. "Sango-chan...when do you think you and Miroku-sama will get married?"

Sango went bright red. "We...haven't decided yet."

"Maybe...maybe you should consider making it a double wedding," Kagome suggested, going red herself. InuYasha choked slightly on a mouthful of tea at the mention of 'wedding.' Miroku looked from the miko to the hanyou, a wide grin slowly spreading across his face.

"What happened back at your home, Kagome-sama?" he asked with a fake innocence everyone was all too familiar with. Kagome looked straight at the houshi in question and, sure enough, his eyes were sparkling in that way that clearly said _I'm__ thinking__ of __something__ perverted._

"Nothing...that interesting," she lied. InuYasha nodded quickly in agreement. Miroku had many faults, but stupidity was not one of them. He could clearly see that Kagome was lying and that InuYasha had been too quick to agree with her. Seeing as Sango wasn't threatening him with bodily violence at the moment, Miroku decided to continue his line of inquiry.

"Nothing interesting, mmm?" His eyes flicked from Kagome's pink face to InuYasha's embarrassed one, taking in their averted eyes and their enclosed demeanor. "Then why the embarrassed act? Surely if you didn't do anything interesting, there would be nothing to be ashamed about." The houshi waited for this statement to sink in before continuing. "You didn't happen to do anything of _that _nature...did you?"

The couple was spared answering the houshi's inquiry when Sango intervened, her fist flying out and catching Miroku's head. "That is none of your business, houshi-sama!" she snapped, going back to honorifics (a sign that she was seriously pissed). "Leave Kagome-chan and InuYasha alone: they've been through a lot the past few days!"

"I was just curious, dear Sango," the houshi grumbled back. "I sensed there was something left out of their story, and I-"

"-wanted to take the chance to start teasing them!" Sango finished for him. "How could you?" With that, she started smacking the houshi around, ignoring his yelps and pleas for mercy. Kagome rolled her eyes, exasperated by this display of premarital violence, but at the same time grateful for the distraction. She _really_ didn't want to discuss her sex life with Miroku of all people. She leaned against InuYasha, her eyes closing as she tuned out the sound of fighting.

"It's nice to be back, isn't it?" she commented. InuYasha snorted.

"Sure. Crazy as all hell and dangerous, though," he growled. Kagome sighed.

"That's not the point. It's just...I'm glad that I get to be here with you."

InuYasha smiled slightly, leaning back against her and letting his own eyes drift shut. "Me too, Kagome. Me too."


	49. Epilogue: Life's Blessings

As the sun rode low in the sky over the village the next day, the celebration of Naraku's defeat finally commenced. With the dark hanyou dead and the heroes all fit and healthy, everyone felt that now was the proper time to commend the group that did the deed of slaying him. Everybody dug deep into their stores to draw out the best of their food and drink, while a hunting party was dispatched to bring back some fresh meat. This decision would later cause a great roar of laughter to rise in the village as InuYasha asked to join the party, only to be refused. The pout on the hanyou's face was absolutely priceless.

"Why won't they let me come with them?" he complained. "I'm a damn better hunter than all of those humans put together!"

"Because," Kagome chortled, wiping tears out of her eyes, "this is a party thrown in _your _honor. Typically, people don't work at their parties."

The hanyou's ears drooped slightly as his bottom lip pushed out petulantly. "It's not work if I _wanna _do it," he pointed out sullenly. Kagome's smile grew wider as her laughter grew harder. In the end, she was unable to reply to him due to the great roars of laughter emanating from her throat. Annoyed and perturbed beyond all belief, the hanyou went off to try and find someone who would commiserate with him.

Besides the little hunting disappointment, the preparations for the party went smoothly. Lanterns were crafted and hung from every available point. Large jugs of saké were cracked open, the sweet scent of the alcohol leeching into the air around the clay jars. Meat sizzled on spits over the fires while vegetables cooked in nearby pans and pots. Most of all, there was an air of excitement and joy hanging over the village, a great change from the oppressive atmosphere of sickness and sorrow that had been dangling over their heads for far too long. It was an air of hope and new beginnings, and it was very much welcomed to the village beside the Goshinboku.

Then, as dusk settled over the village like a blanket, the lanterns were lit as the celebrations commenced. Cheers went up all around as the cups were filled with alcohol for the adults and water for the children and bowls were filled with an assortment of food. At the center of all this activity sat the group who had finally put an end to Naraku's life and saved every single person attending the event. Miroku was the only one who looked like he was comfortable with the whole affair: Sango kept blushing and looking away from the constant stream of people coming up to wring her hand and thank her endlessly for the good she had done for the village, while InuYasha and Kagome looked like they wanted nothing else than to be alone for a while, away from the overeager (and sometimes drunk) village men. Shippou was nowhere to be seen and was eventually presumed to be out with friends.

"This was a bad idea," InuYasha grumbled under his breath, his ears plastering to his head as yet another villager came up to thank them up and down for saving him and his family. Kagome reached out and gave InuYasha's hand a squeeze.

"Cheer up, InuYasha. This is supposed to be _our _party, after all. You're not supposed to sit there with a face like you're sucking a lemon." Before InuYasha could answer her, someone strode over to where the group was sitting and cleared their throat.

"Could you spare a moment to listen to me?" Everyone turned to look at the speaker, who revealed herself to be Kaede. The old miko waited until the last dregs of conversation had petered out before continuing: "I have an announcement to make. I have decided that, at the end of this year, I will retire as miko." A great cry of dismay rose at these words. Sango gasped, Miroku's eyebrows rose, Kagome's jaw dropped and even InuYasha looked horrified. Kaede lifted her withered hands up to placate the wave of shouts that rose in the village shortly thereafter. "I am an old woman, and it is time for me to stop this work. I am tired and ready to take my rest." Then, she turned around so that she was facing the group before her. Walking with the slow gait that age bestows upon all humanity, Kaede made her way over to Kagome.

"I must ask something of ye, Kagome. Since you cannot return to your home in the Heisei jidai, would you take over my position as miko of this village? I shall give you the necessary training before I retire-if that is what you would like." Kaede smiled down at the young girl, who looked like she had just been told she was the crown princess in line for the throne to the entire universe.

Kagome sat there, stunned by Kaede's offer. It had never occurred to her that Kaede would ever want to retire, or that the old miko would choose _Kagome _to be her successor. Then again, she figured, Kikyou couldn't fill the job now, and there were no other miko in the area. Not only that, but as Kaede had pointed out, she had no other home now besides here in the village. If she was going to live here for the rest of her life, she might as well make herself useful while she was at it. So she looked Kaede straight in the eye and said this: "I will, Kaede. I will become miko of this village."

A great cheer went up at this, as the previously dismayed villagers rejoiced in the knowledge that a new miko would be trained to take Kaede's place. The only person who didn't seem too happy with this was InuYasha. He was leaning back against a nearby hut, a scowl clearly pronounced on his face. Kaede turned to him, raising one eyebrow.

"Why do you seem so unhappy, InuYasha? I thought you, of all people, would want Kagome to be comfortable here." InuYasha fidgeted, growing steadily more uncomfortable beneath Kaede's inquisitive glare.

"I do," he finally grumbled. "It's just...just...miko aren't allowed to...to _do _anything." The hanyou grew steadily redder and redder as each word left his mouth until his face rivaled his haori. Kagome, who had been listening to their conversation, chose this moment to burst in.

"And you think that would stop us getting married?" she asked testily. InuYasha swallowed and leaned slightly away from her, glad that Kagome had removed the enchanted kotodama from around his neck. "I can't believe you, InuYasha! After all this time, you _still _think I don't want to be with you?"

"It's not that," InuYasha mumbled feebly.

"Then _what _is it?" Kagome crossed her arms over her chest, her eyebrows pulling down into a fierce glower. She pinned InuYasha with an almost murderous stare, one that made him want to curl up into a little ball in order to hide from her.

Luckily for the hanyou, Kaede intervened. "Nothing to worry about, InuYasha," she put in, "we can make an exception in Kagome's case. I think it's fine if you two wish to be married and raise children. As long as Kagome continues to perform as village miko...and, perhaps, if you devoted yourself to protecting her...then everything would turn out all right."

Kagome brightened considerably. "That sounds good," she agreed. "What do you think, InuYasha?" InuYasha nodded quickly, still cowering in case Kagome exploded again. She rolled her eyes and hauled him up off the ground, giving him a quick peck on the cheek to show him he was forgiven.

A few minutes later, when the party had resumed around them, Kagome leaned over and whispered a quick question in Sango's ear: "What are you and Miroku-sama going to do now?" Sango blushed and shook her head. "C'mon," Kagome wheedled, "Just a little bit?"

"Well," Sango murmured back, "Hou-I mean, Miroku and I are planning to settle down here, rather than in my village. We decided that would be best." Kagome nodded softly, understanding the reluctant tone in Sango's voice. Then she pulled back to give her friend some privacy.

"So...when are we going to get married?" she asked nonchalantly. InuYasha choked on a sip of water he was taking. Kagome reached over and started thumping the hanyou on the back, her face becoming concerned.

"I...I dunno...!" he gagged. Kagome waited, making sure the hanyou had managed to clear his airway before continuing.

"I don't want to pressure you or anything, but I think it should be soon. After all, we've done...certain activities that are frowned upon when two people aren't married." The bright red flush swiftly returned to InuYasha's face as she said this, clashing weirdly with his silver mane. Kagome cocked her head at him, her eyes sparkling. "What are you thinking, InuYasha?"

InuYasha looked at her, blush receding slightly as his face grew serious. "How soon is 'soon?'" he asked. Kagome giggled softly and reached over to tweak one of the hanyou's soft ears.

"You don't have to look so grave, InuYasha-it's not like this is life or death! If you want to wait to get married, then we can wait." InuYasha looked slightly relieved mere seconds later.

"Good. I...there's something I wanna do before I marry you," he stated.

"What is it?"

"Nuh-uh, wench. You ain't gonna wrestle it out of me until I'm ready to tell you." Kagome opened her mouth to protest, but InuYasha covered her mouth with his hand. "I swear, it's nothing serious...well, it _is _kinda serious," he amended, "but not _really _serious...if you know what I mean."

Kagome considered this for a few seconds before smiling and nodding. "I always liked surprises anyway," she said. "Okay, we'll wait until you finish whatever you're going to do. You'd better hustle, though."

"Why?"

Kagome shook her head, her smile widening into a grin. "If you're not going to tell me your secret, then I am _definitely _not telling you mine." InuYasha's eyes narrowed suspiciously as his lips lifted to show a little bit of his fangs. Then, abruptly, the suspicion faded, replaced by a pout.

"That's not fair," he whined, ears lying flat on his head.

"What's not fair? You have a secret that you won't tell me, so shouldn't I have a secret that I won't tell you? Anyway, I'll find out what it is soon enough, and so will you," she pointed out. "Until then, we should be patient, ne?"

InuYasha's ears pressed further down on his scalp as his golden eyes became almost mournful. "I _hate _being patient!"

* * *

><p>Time passed, slowly but quickly gaining speed, as it always does when humanity busies itself. Deep in the forest, hidden from the eyes of most of the village, InuYasha was hard at work, busy constructing his gift to Kagome.<p>

The abandoned hut had been tucked away in the forest for as long as InuYasha could remember, dating back to his brief time spent with the living Kikyou. He hadn't taken too much notice of it before, since he had preferred the life of a nomad. Now, with his and Kagome's wedding looming on the horizon, the realization that they would need a home had dawned on InuYasha. They very well couldn't live with Kaede for the rest of their lives!

Thus began the hanyou's secret project: the restoration and renovating of the abandoned hut. It was at a perfect location; close enough to the village for Kagome to perform her duties as miko without being tired out on the journey, but far enough away that the trees put a nice barrier between them and the noisy village. Plus the Goshinboku was only ten minutes away from said hut, and _that _was if you were a slow human. So that was InuYasha's plan: rebuild the hut and give it to Kagome as his wedding present. With nothing else to offer her, it was his best bet.

The only downside was that he didn't have much help in the reconstruction. He didn't trust any of the male villagers to keep their mouths shut about the project if he let them in on it, and if they blabbed, the secret might get out before he wanted Kagome to hear about it. Also, he had to spend most of his time mingling with the villagers and with Kagome, otherwise they would get suspicious. Because of this, the hut's rebuild was taking _forever, _and if it hadn't been for Kagome, then InuYasha might have given up altogether.

Finally, the mind-numbing lethargy of the build drove InuYasha to confiding in Miroku, after making the houshi swear to all the Kami and the Buddha that he would not tell Sango, who would undoubtedly tell Kagome. Miroku had soothed his friend with calm words and gestures, promising not to breathe a word to his fiancée. After an hour of this, InuYasha finally believed him and let him see what he was doing. Miroku's jaw had dropped when he caught sight of the hut.

"Are you building a _hut _for Kagome-sama?" he gasped. InuYasha had winced and shushed the houshi, glancing around as if Kagome or one of the villagers was going to jump out and shout "BOO!"

"Not building, baka; just rebuilding...an' making it a little bigger." InuYasha's eyes were still darting around; he seemed absolutely certain that someone was going to jump out from behind the trees.

"You want me to help?" Miroku had offered, getting over his initial shock. "I would be happy to do that, if that's what you want."

InuYasha had agreed, and the project became a little less tedious. For one thing, he no longer had to work in absolute silence, as Miroku provided a partner to converse with. For another, the renovations moved a little more swiftly, which meant that he and Kagome would be able to be married sooner. Things were looking up, and InuYasha knew it.

* * *

><p>A few weeks later, InuYasha wasn't feeling so cheery. It had been nearly two months and he <em>still <em>wasn't done with the hut. Miroku kept telling him that they were only two men doing the work of many, but that didn't keep InuYasha from thinking that it could go a little bit faster. Not only that, but Kagome was acting weird. It had started shortly after he had began renovating their hut. Someone would say something relatively innocent to her, and she would fly off the handle, snapping and snarling like an angry wolverine. When the other person (often himself) tried to ask her why she was so angry, she would inexplicably start wailing. Then, when he had become completely confused and submissive, she would return to normal and apologize for her strange behavior. In addition, she didn't seem to be able to hold food down. She would take one look at a pot of stew or a cooked boar and she would flee shortly before InuYasha heard the sound of her retching. It had all been terribly worrisome and confusing, but Kagome had told him that she was fine, and refused to answer any other question besides that.

"It doesn't make any sense," he complained one day, whilst he and Miroku were working on the walls to the storage room InuYasha had added the previous week. "How can she be fine and doing all this strange shit at the same time?"

Miroku smiled slightly as he nailed one of the boards firmly into place. "It is the mystery of life and the known world, InuYasha."

InuYasha looked over at Miroku, scowling darkly. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

The houshi gazed over at his hanyou friend, pausing in the act of hammering in another nail. Then, his smile grew wider as he resumed his work. "Far be it from me to spoil the surprise."

InuYasha's eyebrows shot up into his hair as the realization hit him like a thunderbolt. "Dammit, you fucking houshi," he growled, "you _know!_"

Miroku shrugged. "She might have mentioned it."

The snarl in InuYasha's throat grew louder, rumbling in his chest like thunder. "So what is this secret that she trusted you with, ya crooked houshi?"

Miroku shrugged again, lifting the next board from the nearby pile of lumber. "I _could _tell you, InuYasha...but then I would have to tell Kagome-sama _your _little secret."

InuYasha went from angry to horrified in a split second. "You...you...!" There didn't seem to be an expletive bad enough to describe Miroku. Aforementioned houshi looked as smug as the cat who had caught the canary.

"It's only fair, InuYasha," he pointed out. "You won't let me tell her your secret, so I shouldn't tell you _her _secret."

InuYasha scowled. This whole secrecy thing was getting more annoying by the day.

* * *

><p>Nearly a month and a half later, InuYasha had finally finished the hut. He stood before it on the final day of work, dusting his hands off and looking very pleased. Miroku stood beside him, a smile on his face.<p>

"You have done well, InuYasha," he commented, as if this were no more astonishing than fetching a pail of water. The houshi's emotions were clearly written in his eyes, however: he was happy that his friend was happy. "When are you going to tell Kagome-sama?"

"Now-I'm gonna tell her right now!" InuYasha was about to bound off when Miroku caught his shoulder.

"May I make a suggestion?" When he was sure he had InuYasha's attention, the houshi continued. "Instead of just _telling _her about it...why don't you show it to her?"

InuYasha thought this over before his eyes brightened even more. "Yeah...yeah, I'll show it to her!" With that, the hanyou bounded off. Miroku gently shook his head and proceeded toward his own hut, which had been built at the western edge of the village by some very grateful villagers. It had been completed long before InuYasha's had, but then again, there were more than two men working on that one. However, Miroku had thought it best to not bring that up to the hanyou. It would only discourage him from a task that was really quite generous and caring.

Meanwhile, InuYasha was speeding off toward the village, barely touching the ground in his excitement. His heart was pounding in his throat with the force of his fierce joy. Imagining Kagome's reaction to learning that they had a hut made him even happier, so much so that he was nearly bounding in the treetops. Upon reaching the edge of the village, InuYasha slowed his frantic pace to a much slower walk, his entire body quivering with energy. _'Act casual,' _he told himself. _'She'll never guess...' _

Kagome was sitting outside with Kaede, learning more about the various medicinal herbs in the older miko's garden. Her attention was wholly upon Kaede, so she didn't notice InuYasha's approach. Her hand rested on her belly, her fingers splayed out over the fabric of her recently acquired yukata. InuYasha frowned when he saw this: was her stomach hurting again? And, if it was, would that mean that she would fly off the handle if he approached her? Doubt started to gnaw a hole in the hanyou's stomach, but he quickly pushed it away. _'She's improved,' _he thought, _'she's not acting so weird anymore, and she's been able to eat regularly...more than usual, maybe, but regularly. Don't wuss out now!'_

"Hey, Kagome," he greeted, trying to inject an indifferent tone into his voice. Kagome looked up at him, her hand moving to the ground to steady herself as she did so. She smiled and rose, dusting herself off.

"Where have you been?" she asked, knowing full well that InuYasha wouldn't tell her.

"Out." This nonchalant thing was hard, but InuYasha was prepared to persist in order to perpetuate the air of surprise. "I wanted to show you something."

Kagome looked at him in confusion, blinking once or twice before her smile reasserted itself. She turned to Kaede and bowed, her hands clasped gently in front of her. "Gomen, Kaede, but it looks like we'll have to end the lesson for today."

Kaede smiled and shook her head. "It is nothing to apologize for, Kagome. Go on." Kagome nodded and walked over to InuYasha, threading her arm through his and leaning against him.

"Well, let's go see this 'something,'" she joked, tugging gently on his hand. InuYasha pulled away from Kagome and knelt down, offering his back to her.

"Climb on, Kagome," he told her. Kagome, however, backed away, her face suddenly uncertain.

"I don't know..." She bit her lip, her hand returning to her stomach. InuYasha rose quickly, looking contrite.

"If you're still feeling nauseous...sorry, we can walk," he quickly said. Kagome reached out and took his hand, then InuYasha started walking in the direction of the forest.

"I'm not really nauseous, but I don't think it's a good idea for me to be moving around so fast right now." When InuYasha turned to shoot Kagome an incredulous look, she laughed softly and tugged on his hand. "Tell me your secret and I'll tell you mine, remember?" InuYasha made to argue, but then remembered what he was doing and shrugged instead.

"Whatever."

The forest was quiet, save for the sounds of small animals moving about unseen in the brush. It was actually quite nice, walking with Kagome through the forest that had been named after himself because of his fifty year imprisonment to the Goshinboku. InuYasha's body was quivering again, the excitement returning full force as he grew closer and closer to the renovated hut. He was sure Kagome could feel it, but she kept quiet, seeming to prefer being alone with her own thoughts.

They were nearing it now. InuYasha could see the tracks that he and Miroku had worn in the grass during the months of construction and smell the scent of new wood that had permeated the air every time they had made a new pile of lumber and persisted after the hut had been finished. His heart leaped into his mouth. Any moment now, he would reveal his months of hard work to Kagome with his promise to marry her shortly thereafter, and she would surely tell him her secret in return (as well as maybe bestow some kisses upon him...)

"Close your eyes," he urged her as the trees started thinning. Kagome let out a small laugh before she complied. InuYasha pulled her forward, breaking out into a small jog as he sped through those last few meters. When they were standing directly in front of the hut, InuYasha skidded to a stop. "Okay...open 'em!"

Kagome promptly opened her eyes, then did a double take, staring up at the hut standing in front of her. It was not as large as one of the houses back in her time, but it was clearly larger than most of the huts in the Sengoku jidai. It stood there, proud and tall in the midst of the long green grass and occasional tree. She moved forward slowly, her hands coming up to wrap around her middle.

"Did...did you do this?" she managed to gasp. InuYasha shrugged.

"Rebuilt it, mostly. I had the bouzou help me to put it all together. We just finished it today." He stood back to watch the effect this had on Kagome. When she still looked just as staggered as ever, he tentatively added, "It's not exactly furnished or whatever, but Miroku says we could work and buy so-"

At that moment, Kagome launched herself at him, reaching out and wrapping her arms around his head, her legs going about his waist as she ferociously kissed him. InuYasha staggered about, having been caught completely off guard by the miko's 'attack.' He recovered swiftly and kissed her back, gently prying her legs from around his waist and setting her back against the ground.

"You like it then?" he asked.

"Like it? InuYasha, it's wonderful!" she squealed. "You built us a home!"

The hanyou shuffled about, looking down at his feet in order to hide his wide grin. "Yeah, sorta."

Kagome wrapped InuYasha in a hut, nuzzling his cheek in a contented sort of way. "Just in time, too," she commented. "I don't think I could have kept my surprise from you much longer." InuYasha blinked at her. Was she _still _not going to tell him?

"Kept what from me?" he growled. Kagome shook her head slightly.

"You _really _haven't spent much time around women, haven't you?" she asked, though it sounded more like a statement. Not seeing where this was going, InuYasha shook his head. Kagome smiled at him, beaming happily. InuYasha was temporarily caught off guard by how..._radiant _she looked. Not that she didn't always look good, but right at that moment she looked particularly joyful. Her surprise must be something good, then, he thought.

"Are you going to tell me your secret, then?" Kagome pondered for a few seconds, then shook her head.

"Not _tell_ you...I think I'll let you _feel _it." Before InuYasha could ask what the hell she meant by feeling a secret, she reached out and took one of his hands. Then, moving carefully so she wouldn't prick herself with InuYasha's claws, she placed his hand on her stomach, like he had been doing earlier. "Now, just wait," she instructed. "You'll see what I mean."

Confused, InuYasha waited with his hand pressed against Kagome's belly, wondering what on Earth could possibly be going on. What _had _she been hiding from him these past few weeks or however long it had been?

Then, he felt it. It was tiny, barely managing to make it past the layer of Kagome's clothing, but he definitely felt something move. The bottom dropped out of his gut as the light went on his head. Kagome watched as InuYasha inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly as if to clear tears out of his eyes. His mouth worked, as if he was going to say something, but nothing came out. The hanyou seemed to have lost his speaking capabilities. Kagome reached up and took InuYasha's head in her hands, pulling him down until his forehead rested on hers.

"You can't imagine how hard it's been for me to keep this secret from you," she murmured. "Every day, I would wonder if it was right for me to keep this child of ours in the dark, especially when you asked me if something was wrong. 'He's the father,' I would tell myself, 'he has a right to know.'" Kagome was silent for a second, obviously thinking hard. "I asked Miroku-sama for advice, and he said I should wait just a little while longer. 'If you tell InuYasha now, he'll be put out because he'll have to tell you what he's doing, and he's not ready yet,' was how it put it. I didn't really think you'd be put out if I told you about the baby, but I agreed that you weren't quite ready. So I waited, and I hope that you aren't angry at me for doing that." The last few words hung in the air as Kagome fell silent, her hands tightening in InuYasha's hair. Her heart was pounding in her throat, and deep inside herself, she felt her baby flutter. She waited for InuYasha's reply, wondering if it would ever come. Silence seemed to be king in this clearing now.

Then, when Kagome thought she could stand it no longer, InuYasha finally spoke up. "Angry?" he croaked. He reached out and pulled Kagome close to him, burying his face in her hair. "Why in the name of the seven hells would I be angry? I can't be angry, K'gome...you're...I'm gonna..." He trailed off, unable to voice his innermost thoughts. Kagome understood, though, and smiled in relief.

They stood like that for some time, wrapped in each other's arms, letting the emotions of the moment speak instead of words. Rustling leaves provided the only sound in the clearing, a soft whispering that underlined the serenity of the moment. Kagome let her eyes drift shut, glad that she could share this moment with her hanyou, and he, in turn, was glad that he could share it with her.

* * *

><p>Now that InuYasha had presented the hut to Kagome, he knew it was time to pursue marriage, especially since his mate was going to have a pup. <em>A pup. <em>Even thinking about it made his heart soar. In all of his long life, he had never considered that one day he might have his own little ones, and now that he was...it was indescribable.

However, it also made marriage an absolute necessity. They couldn't just go and have a pup out of wedlock, that much he knew. Such pups were called 'bastards,' and while InuYasha willingly used the term for many people he didn't care for, his own child was not one of them. Hence the need for marriage. (It was only to bind them in the eyes of the people, anyway: the lack of official ceremony was the only thing their companionship was missing.)

Impatient as always, InuYasha went straight to Kaede the day after learning about his and Kagome's pup and demanded that they be married right then and there. Kaede had held up her hands like she was warding off a powerful evil, trying to calm the hanyou down while explaining that a good marriage didn't happen on the spot; it was planned out over time, with plenty of effort put into it. InuYasha had remained convinced that Kaede wouldn't marry them on purpose until Kagome told him off for being rude.

Other than that, life was pretty good. The couple had moved into the hut InuYasha had restored and were settling in nicely. Some of the villagers had kindly donated some of their used and unneeded items to them, so they had all of the bare essentials, like a futon and a few cooking pots. They also had an herb garden, which Kagome had started with Kaede's recommendation that she do so. It still looked pretty barren, but Kagome had been assured that the herbs would sprout before long. Their new life was proceeding without so much as a hitch.

Now, if InuYasha could just solve that whole marriage thing...

* * *

><p>About six weeks later, the planning for the double wedding that was to take place was completed, which was a good thing. InuYasha got steadily more and more impatient as time went by without so much as a peep from the planners. Kagome tried to assure him that the wedding would come eventually, but the hanyou had remained convinced that everyone in the village was conspiring against him, his matefiancée and their unborn pup (the evidence of which was now visible to everyone in the village, seeing as Kagome's belly had become more swollen as time went by).

The day before the wedding was one of the hardest days InuYasha ever had to endure. According to Kagome, one of the Heisei jidai traditions was that the bride didn't see the groom before the wedding, meaning that he and Miroku were stuck together while Kagome and Sango were off doing...whatever the two women did when they were alone together. Normally InuYasha was fine with this, but the whole 'not allowed to see each other' thing really pissed him off. It was hard to not just fuck the whole ceremonial thing and go see her. What made it worse were his revamped protective instincts toward his pregnant mate and the pup she carried; they itched and frayed his nerves past what he would consider bearable.

After listening to InuYasha's grumbles for about half an hour, Miroku had had enough. "InuYasha, Kagome will be fine," he snapped. "She is with Sango, and your baby is nowhere near due. Even if there was some sort of scare, Kagome would be more than capable of handling it. Stop worrying and enjoy your last night as an unmarried man."

InuYasha did not look any happier about this revelation than he had five seconds beforehand. "This 'tradition of hers is just a bad idea," he grumbled, shoving his arms into his haori and glaring mutinously at the fire. "_Especially _since she's pregnant."

Miroku sighed, resigning himself to a few more hours of this. "She wanted to do this, InuYasha. Would you begrudge her that?" InuYasha looked extremely affronted at this and wasted no time telling him so. That kick-started a long and grueling 'conversation' that quickly degenerated into an insult battle. Both men kept arguing until well past midnight, and were almost about to murder each other by the time Kaede arrived to put a stop to it, with promises to summon their wives-to-be if they didn't. The thought of Kagome, who somehow managed to look intimidating despite the roundness of her pregnancy, coming to deal with his and Miroku's argument made InuYasha clam up rather quickly. (The same was true for Miroku, except with Sango instead of Kagome.)

InuYasha slept fitfully that night. His wedding was tomorrow, and while he would never admit to the so called 'jitters,' the hanyou _did _feel like there were live snakes crawling around in his stomach, making him uneasy and nervous. For a few seconds, he wondered if Kagome felt the same. Then he remembered that Kagome would feel something moving in her stomach regardless of whether or not she was nervous. That thought actually made him feel a little better; sure, he was still nervous about the day to come, but marrying Kagome was the right thing to do, for both themselves and the pup. Not only that, but...but he _wanted _to do it. InuYasha had already mated with Kagome as youkai would do, so wouldn't it make sense for them to be joined in the human way too?

Dawn came, bright and slightly cold as the last dregs of winter made themselves known. The villagers woke early to prepare for the double wedding that was to take place that afternoon. The brides and grooms were dressing in their separate huts, all of them feeling nervously excited about what was about to occur.

Then the sun was in the noon position, and it was time for the wedding to start. The village's dirt roads were clogged with people, all of them heading toward the Goshinboku, where the wedding was to take place. In the center of the huge mass were the grooms, the brides already having gone to the Goshinboku ahead of time.

InuYasha pulled at the collar of his (borrowed) black kimono. Slightly smelly and half a size too large, the garment was definitely inferior to his fire-rat haori. It was tradition, however, so the hanyou put up with it. Nervous excitement was coursing through his body, making him twitchy as all hell. This was it; this was the day he had been (unconsciously) waiting for-the day when he and Kagome would be formally recognized as husband and wife, together in the eyes of the people.

Goshinboku loomed in the distance, a goliath among many smaller trees. At its base stood a small knot of people, including Kaede, Sango and-

InuYasha's breath caught in his throat. Kagome was there, turning with the rest of the crowd to behold the grooms as they finally made it to the makeshift altar. She was resplendent in radiant white, the curve of her belly pronounced beneath the loose cloth. The miko beamed at him, her face bright and happy. InuYasha moved to her side, striding quickly without actually breaking into a sprint.

"I thought you'd never get here," she whispered, reaching down and briefly squeezing his hand. InuYasha snorted.

"I think you call it 'fashionably late,' wench," he growled softly. She giggled, then fell silent when Kaede mounted the small platform and commenced the ceremony. The old miko moved forward to bless each couple and purify them. Then the three cups of saké were drunk (water in Kagome's case) and the offerings to the Kami made. Then, with a smile on her face, Kaede pronounced the couples married. A great cheer went up around the surrounding villagers, making the couples blush and grin sheepishly.

The party commenced shortly after the ceremony was completed. The men congratulated Miroku and InuYasha for selecting such 'fine women' to be their brides and hoped that they would bear them many children. More than one person commented that InuYasha wasn't going to have any trouble in that area. Kagome ended up dragging a surly InuYasha away from a group of cowering males, telling him off about 'accosting innocent people.' InuYasha's argument was that they were prying into his private business.

"_What _private business?" she asked irritably. "What could they _possibly _know about your private business?"

InuYasha flushed bright red and looked away, his ears pressing flat against his scalp. "It...it was about the pup," he mumbled. "They were making fun of the pup."

As abruptly as she had started dragging the hanyou away, Kagome screeched to a halt. "They were what?"

"They were talking about how this pup is technically a bastard since he was...made before the wedding." InuYasha carefully peeked at his wife, afraid to see how she would take this. For a few seconds, Kagome just stood there, her free hand moving to the apex of her stomach. Then she whirled around and began stomping off in the direction of the men. InuYasha seized the neck of her kimono and hauled her back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Kagome's teeth were gritted in a savage frown. "They _will not _talk about our baby that way!" she hissed. "Let go!"

Funnily enough, seeing Kagome in a rage over what the men had said cheered InuYasha up considerably. He put his arm about her waist and turned her around, gently manuvering her toward the smell of food. Kagome grumbled under her breath, glaring balefully at any male villager they happened to pass. "They're just being stupid," he commented, practically grinning now. "Don't let 'em ruin our day, K'gome."

A smile tugged at the corner of Kagome's lips. "Our day, huh?"

He nodded. "Told ya I'd get around to marrying you eventually."

Kagome laughed at that and smiled fully. "Not a moment too soon, I must say." Taking the hand InuYasha had placed on her waist, she moved it over to her swollen flank, letting him feel the life squirming about inside of her. InuYasha's ears sprung up at the feeling.

"Fuckin' hell, wench, has it been doing that all day?" His eyebrows were practically crawling into his bangs now. Kagome giggled softly and nodded.

"Most of the ceremony, anyway. I think he's just as excited as we are." Kagome sighed and leaned against her husband, her eyes drifting shut as she reveled in the emotions still coursing through her body. "I'm so happy, InuYasha," she murmured. "So happy."

InuYasha nuzzled her head, his smile obscured by the thick black tresses. "I am too, Kagome. I am too."

* * *

><p>Summer was drawing near, the warmth chasing away the cool days of spring and downing the last of the blossoms from the trees. Along with the summer came a renewal of InuYasha's tension. Kagome's stomach had become grossly swollen in the past few months, dragging down her legs and reducing her to a slow waddle. Even though she had retired in the middle of spring, Kaede still helped with Kagome and the pup, and had recently proclaimed that Kagome was about ready to give birth. Upon hearing that, InuYasha freaked, yelping about and shouting that she shouldn't be up and about, should be lying down, and so on.<p>

Eventually, Miroku had intervened on Kagome's behalf, and had dragged InuYasha along with him on a youkai-hunting mission. When InuYasha asked the houshi's reasoning (with threats to skin him alive if he didn't take him back) Miroku revealed that Sango had just become pregnant herself. "She's been..._extremely _temperamental lately," Miroku stated with a shudder, "I am just trying to give her some space. Kagome-sama could use it too."

"What do you mean by that?" InuYasha demanded.

"You've been rather..._oppressive _of late, my friend. Your child will be born, regardless of what Kagome-sama does or does not do. Keeping her in a cage won't help her give birth to a healthy child." InuYasha scowled and put his hands in his haori sleeves.

"I know that! I...I just don't want anything to happen to her." InuYasha looked out over the landscape, not seeing any of the trees before him, or the rolling grounds beyond them. "Haven't you seen her, bouzou? She can barely walk anymore, or bend over. Sometimes I see her lying down on our bed, all curled up like she's in pain, but she says she's all right!" The hanyou's fist flashed out and created a large dent in a nearby tree. "I'm just worried about her, all right?"

Miroku laughed quietly. "Babies are one thing a man will never understand, InuYasha. You'd best leave it to Kagome-sama until your child is born."

Still, InuYasha couldn't stop fretting, even after they returned home (with quite a large reward for slaying a particularly nasty youkai). Kagome reassured him that their baby would be fine, and that she would be fine, but the hanyou still worried.

Then, one night, Kagome cried out in pain, waking InuYasha from his fitful sleep. The hanyou leaped out of the bed like he had been burned by a hot poker. She looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes. He didn't have to ask what was happening; all that mattered was that it was happening, and happening _now._ Sweeping her up, InuYasha bundled her out of their house, howling for Kaede all the way there.

Many pain-and-howl filled hours later, just when the sun was starting to rise in the East, a reedy wail announced the arrival of the pup and the end of the long hours of work. Inside Kaede's hut, the old miko was busy washing off the new babe. Sitting in the corner, looking like he was about to pass out, was InuYasha. Kagome lay in his lap, pale and sweaty, but none the worse for wear. She was actually struggling to rise, trying hard to see her newborn baby.

"Kaede-ba-chan," she murmured, her eyes slowly fluttering open. "Where is he? Can I see my baby?"

"Patience, child," she chided, turning about slowly, the whimpering bundle clasped in her arms. "I'm coming over now." The miko's withered face broke out into a smile as she knelt down beside the younger woman with some difficulty. "Here is your son, Kagome."

With a cry of joy, Kagome rose up, gently seizing her child with eager hands and pulling it to her breast. InuYasha peeped over her shoulder, still looking pale and faint, though some of the color returned to his face at the sight of his pup. He was tiny, even more so in the large blankets concealing him. A small tuft of silver hair decorated his head, along with two tiny dog-ears, pinned down to his head to shut out the noise. The pup reached out with a tiny paw, revealing tiny claws that looked soft and fragile.

"My little one," Kagome cooed, "Mama's here, baby. Mama's here." The pup squeaked softly and buried himself in his mama's breast. InuYasha reached over her shoulder and touched the baby's tiny paw.

"I'm a father." He sounded absolutely dazed. Kagome nodded and drew the baby close to her face. "I have a...a _son, _Kagome." The miko laughed tiredly.

"Do you want to name him now, or do you want to wait?" she asked.

InuYasha thought for a few seconds before stating, "The pup can wait a little longer. I'm tired, and you look exhausted." Kagome rolled her eyes before settling back against InuYasha.

"We can't forget," she mumbled. "We can't forget what brought us to this day."

InuYasha looked up, out through the small window of Kaede's hut. It was true; they had endured many trials and tribulations before this day. However, that meant that InuYasha and Kagome would treasure this day all the more, and all the days to follow it. They had earned this happiness, yes, but they could never forget what happened in the process.

_'We won't forget, Kagome,' _he thought. _'Maybe...maybe one day we'll tell the pup about it, when he's old enough.' _He leaned back and closed his eyes, one hand going to cover the pup's tiny head. _'Sleep well, pup. I...Papa loves you.'_

_**The End**_

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><p><em>AN: Thank you all so much for your support of_ Forget Me Not! _I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you may celebrate) and a Happy New Year!_


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